


The Breaking Point Of Aaron Hotchner

by VincentMeoblinn



Series: My Omegaverse CM Works [2]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Anal, Anal Fingering, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Betas are involved in the sex but not mentioned in the relationship pairings, Frottage, Hunting/Prey, Knotting, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mentioned not described, Oral, Pedophilia, Stalking, not quite threesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-27
Updated: 2015-02-08
Packaged: 2018-03-09 08:22:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 26,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3242837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VincentMeoblinn/pseuds/VincentMeoblinn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hotchner knew the risks when he let an Omega on the team, but Dr. Spencer Reid was a genius and invaluable on many levels. After years of working together he had yet to regret his inclusion of the younger man. That is, until a bit of unwanted attention shakes up both of their libidos. (Mentions past sexual abuse of a minor but doesn't describe it.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Hotchner knew the risks when he let an Omega on the team, but Dr. Spencer Reid was a genius and invaluable on many levels. After years of working together he had yet to regret his inclusion of the younger man. They’d gotten a few stares over the years from LEO’s, and the one time Reid had been abducted there had been hysterical Alphas to contend with, but he’d fared well throughout the situation. He hadn’t even gone into subdrop, proving that as it went he was a strong Omega amongst a team of mostly Betas and Alphas. Hotch was Alpha himself; powerful and uncontested. Morgan, Prentiss, and Garcia were Betas while Rossi was a very calm and laidback Alpha. In fact, Rossi was often taken for a Beta until people were close enough to smell his distinct Alpha musk. JJ was the only other Omega in the group and Reid treated her the same way he did the rest of the team, with just enough submissiveness to remind them all he was an Omega and enough confidence to remind them he had several doctorates.

It made Hotch hard.

He contained it because at first he’d been married and after that he’d been _broken_. An unsub had all but destroyed his life. Now he was a single father and far too exhausted between caring for his son and working to care about bedding Omegas. Especially complicated ones like Reid. Instead he focused on making his team a success. Besides, he had a strong suspicion that Reid was- or at least had been- with Gideon. Still, he was unmarked, unmated, and even appeared to be packless based on the fact he only ever associated with their team and a group of Omegas at a University near his apartment. Perhaps he considered their team his pack, but Hotch never had. They worked together professionally but he was a lone wolf, uninterested in forming a pack or being a part of one. He worked well with his team because even the occasional Alpha on it was smart enough to show him his or her neck. As long as he had that he was fine.

“Hotch?” Reid chirped.

Hotchner raised his eyes and Reid lowered his. Hotch reined it in quickly, clearing his throat to indicate to Reid that it was okay to look up again. He hadn’t meant to Dom the squirmy little sub, he’d just been deep in thought when he’d leaned into his office and called for him.

“JJ’s just come in and she’s on her phone. I think we’re about to get called in.”

“Eager, are you?” Hotch asked, face bland.

“Not really. I mean sure, but… not for someone to be dead but… I mean…”

“I’m itching for a case, too,” Hotch replied. They’d been walking on eggshells since his return, too tense from what had happened to relax into their usual work. Morgan had been leading for a while and Hotch had been forcing himself into a submissive roll so he could climb back on top when the time came, knowing full well that they’d put a Beta on as his boss in order to _make_ him screw up. This would be his first case as leader once again and Morgan was being a docile little lamb while the rest of the team fidgeted uncomfortably.

“It’s good to have you back,” Reid said softly, and then flinched, “I mean, have you back in the driver’s seat as it were. Not that Morgan didn’t do well, it’s just that you’re our boss and I like you as my boss. Our boss.”

“Reid, is something wrong?” Hotch asked, eyebrows furrowing. It wasn’t uncommon for Reid to babble, in fact it was his default setting, but this nervous fluttering wasn’t his usual reaction.

“I think I heard JJ say Pasadena.”

“So?”

“I had a… significant other… in their department once while I was attending CalTech. It didn’t end well.”

“If there’s a conflict of interest…”

“Oh, no, nothing like that.”

“Then you’ll tell me the moment there’s a problem and otherwise we will all remain professional.”

“Yes, sir. Thanks,” Reid nodded, his shoulders slipping into a relaxed pose. That was all he’d needed, apparently. Hotch aware of the situation and ready to act on it if an issue arose.

 _Interesting. I guess he’s entitled to having had a few dalliances._ Hotch thought as they headed for the meeting room after having gotten the signal from JJ, _I suppose I should stop thinking of him as virginal._

JJ looked grim as they sat down at the table together.

“I need to warn you all. This case involves children, most of whom were murdered gruesomely. Brace yourselves.”

JJ clicked the first slide and the team shuddered. Normally all eyes would fly to Reid, Omegas being particularly defensive towards and sensitive about children, but this time eyes flew to Hotch.

“I’m _fine_ ,” He growled, sending their eyes back to the screen.

It was a horrific sight. The child had been mauled. Someone had let their inner Alpha out and ripped off limbs before disembowelling the poor thing. Hotch hoped an artery being nicked had spared the child most of the horrific abuse, but there was no telling from the pics of his/her (?) abandoned form in the woods.

“This is the third child to be attacked this way in the last week.”

“Third?!” Reid asked, “Why weren’t we called in sooner? One child should have brought in the FBI.”

“It did,” JJ replied, “I was on the phone with their Omega and Youth division when I came in. They talked the locals into calling for us because they were in over their head. They have nothing. Literally _no_ information. The drop sites were meticulous and they have yet to find the primary assault scenes. These children are being abducted from all different places-“ JJ clicked to a map showing the abduction sites- “We have two different races involved, a two different primary genders, and of course no way of knowing the secondary gender because they’re all prepubescent.”

“Any signs of sexual assault?” Prentiss asked.

“None,” JJ replied, “They were abducted, fed, redressed in new clothing, one even had a hair cut. Then they were violently killed, wrapped up in plastic, and disposed of in the woods in unpopulated areas. The only reason they were found as quickly as they were is because an alert went out due to the kidnapping. Search parties found all three.”

“If the victims are being found so quickly but the unsub is _not_ being caught disposing of them,” Reid piped up, “That implies that he had a hand in the search.”

“That’s already been looked into,” JJ replied sadly, “They found no correlation between the three locations and the search parties that found the victims.”

“We’ll look into it again,” Hotch reminded her, “We might see something they didn’t.”

“Nothing else?” Morgan asked, “No signatures? Nothing?”

“Nothing,” JJ replied, “Even our fellow FBI agents are stumped.”

“Then let’s get out there and lend them a hand,” Hotchner stated, rising to his feet.

XXX

Reid was calm for the flight, but Hotchner wasn’t. He was watching Reid carefully to see if his nervousness from earlier returned. Finally he stood up and switched seats, joining Reid without asking to do so.

“Is there anything you need to tell me?” He asked.

“Nope,” Reid replied, his expression closed.

“You were very nervous earlier-“

“And you dealt with it. I’m fine now.”

“I’m not trying to Alphanize you,” Hotch soothed softly, “I just want to make sure I’m going in with all the facts. I don’t want to be distracted from the case because of something personal between you and a local.”

“He pulled a friend of mine over for a speeding violation,” Reid replied, “I was in the car too.”

“That’s it? You implied things were intimate between you two,” Hotchner replied.

Reid’s face coloured, “He told me I could get my Alpha friend out of the ticket if I…”

Hotchner had to rub at his throat to stop the growl that crawled up it, halting Reid from finishing his sentence and drawing alarmed glances from the rest of the group.

“Pardon me,” Hotch stated, standing and heading for the bathroom. He splashed water on his face and returned with a deep breath as he dropped back into the seat.

“I apologize, please continue,” He said, softly enough that the rest of them couldn’t hear even in the relative silence. Most were studying files as Reid was beside him, going over all the local and FBI’s notes.

“I was young- well, _younger_ \- and stupid. I let him take advantage of me. I thought it was once and done, but he looked me up at the dorm I was staying at. He kept badgering me for sex until I threatened to go to his supervisor about it. He got angry and… let’s just say the police were called. Problem is I was some shithead college kid and he was a part of their pack. I was told to go home where I couldn’t cause any more problems. I cut my stay short and haven’t been back since.”

Hotchner was silent a moment, “I’m trying to decide if I want you to point him out to me or not when we arrive.”

“Why?”

“Because I might not react well if I know who he is, but I also don’t want you targeted while we’re there.”

“I’m sure he’s not the only one who remembers me.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure about that,” Hotch replied, “If he treated you that way he likely has treated others that way. You might not even be a blip on his radar.”

Reid was silent and Hotch watched him carefully. He wasn’t sure if what he’d said had upset him or not. Reid’s eyebrows were furrowed, but it seemed to be related to what he was looking at.

“All these children have hazel eyes.”

“What?” Hotch asked, leaning forward in surprise, “How did they miss that?”

“They didn’t, it’s noted but they dismissed it as irrelevant.”

“Why? That could be the abduction trigger.”

“Because they’re not profilers,” Reid smiled a bit, “They aren’t interested in _why_ , they want to know _who_. We use the why to find the who.”

“Then we’re already a step up,” Hotch replied, “I’m going to let the others know.”

Reid nodded absently and Hotchner hurried over to where Prentiss and Morgan were leaning over the same file and bickering about something.

“Reid noticed they all have hazel eyes. We may have the unsubs trigger on our hands.”

“There are an awful lot of hazel eyed kids in California,” Morgan frowned.

“We’ll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it,” Hotch replied, “What have you two found?”

“The lead on all three cases- Detective Monroe- his notes _never_ list the victims by name,” Morgan stated, his tone distressed, “Just ‘V1’ through ‘V3’. It’s like they’re not even children to him.”

“He might be trying to stay clear headed,” Hotch pointed out.

“That’s what I said,” Prentiss sighed in obvious frustration.

“Read his notes, Hotch,” Morgan insisted, pushing the file towards him, “He’s cold. _Too_ cold.”

Hotch took them, and glanced over it for a moment before calling over his shoulder, “Reid, have you read this?”

“Yes,” Reid replied. Hotchner hadn’t said which part, but he’d probably read all of them by now.

“Rossi, what about you? Have you read lead detective’s notes pertaining to the victims?”

“Not yet,” Rossi replied.

“Skip there and give me your opinion. Reid, what’s your take on it?”

“He’s very methodical,” Reid replied, then simply fell silent.

Hotch new. He knew instantly just by the way Reid dropped silent and didn’t elaborate on his comment. He hadn’t even changed the pitch of his voice, but Hotchner just _knew_.

“So he’s been promoted to detective?” Hotch asked angrily, turning in his seat to glare back at Reid, “A hot head like that?”

“I told you they didn’t see my side of things,” Reid stated, but his eyes begged Hotch not to go into it with the rest of the team.

“They need to know, Reid,” Hotchner replied, “We’re stepping into the cooking fire here. I think you should be taken off the case. We’ll send you home on the next flight out of Pasadena.”

“Sir, you need me on this!” Reid argued.

“What’s going on?” Prentiss asked in alarm.

“Personal issues,” Hotch replied, glancing at her out of the corner of his eyes while keeping his head turned towards the Omega, “Reid has history with the lead detective.”

“Conflict of interest?” Prentiss asked, her eyes concerned.

“Reid has history?” Morgan asked, his face twisted in amusement.

“Not the fun kind,” Hotch replied coldly, shutting down all teasing with a glance.

“Sir,” Reid unbuckled and crossed to him, standing rather than sitting as he turned to confront Hotchner. He was clearly imitating Alpha behaviour by _literally_ standing up to him. He was going to push this, “There are three dead children, judging by the pattern there will be a fourth by the time we get there. We can’t afford to be a man down just because of the indiscretions of youth.”

Morgan, Prentiss, JJ, and Rossi all snickered but Hotchner merely stood up slowly. His Alpha presence silenced the entire jet and Reid began to sweat despite his clear determination not to back down. His eyes stayed locked with Hotchner’s and he squared his shoulders stubbornly. Only his scent, wave after wave of distressed Omega that clawed at Hotchner’s instincts, let them know he was truly frightened by Hotchner’s Dominant display.

“Will you be able to stare him down like you’re doing to me now?” Hotchner asked softly.

“Yes?” Reid replied, not sounding at all certain.

“The second you fail to you’re off the case,” Hotch promised him.

“Yes, sir,” Reid replied, his shoulder’s sagging in relief and his eyes dropping.

“Go sit down,” Hotch replied softly, sparing the Omega since his knees were shaking in an instinctive urge to kneel.

Reid all but fled back to his seat and hid behind the case files he’d probably already read half a dozen times. The cabin took a collective breath and shifted on to other topics.

XXX

There was no shortage of Alphas in Pasadena Police Department. The room stank of their pheromones. The team were used to walking into that, but Hotch was on high alert due to Reid’s anxious confession and it made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. A balding, fat male Alpha with a bad comb over greeted them, his shirt read Detective Monroe and Hotch barely stopped himself from gripping his hand hard enough to break bones.

“I’m Detective Monroe, the lead on the case. Thank you for coming,” The man said politely. His face showed the strain of the last week but Hotch wasn’t prepared to offer him comforting words as he usually did. He simply stared at the man and forced himself to release his hand. Beside him, JJ noticed his lack of diplomacy and stepped forward.

“I’m JJ, we spoke on the phone a few hours ago. You have an area set up for us?”

“Yes, this way,” Monroe stated, giving Hotchner a confused look, “Are they always this articulate?”

“Child cases distress everyone,” JJ replied, “Even us.”

“Yeah,” Monroe said, “But that doesn’t stop you from having an _Omega_ on your team.”

“SSA Dr. Reid is a literal genius and has handled child cases before. He’ll be nothing but professional,” JJ assured him.

“Reid… where have I heard that name before?” Monroe muttered, rubbing at his chin.

“Your notes said the children all had hazel eyes?” Reid asked, putting on his poker face and stepping forward as they walked into the space that had been cleared for them. It looked like a meeting room where they’d moved in some desks and a computer along with all the boards containing the case information.

“Yeah, but that’s hardly a great way to predict his movements,” Monroe scoffed, “We’ve got a predominantly mid-western population. They’re all hazel eyed. Even V2 despite the fact he was Hispanic. Hell, _you’re_ hazel eyed!”

“That makes it all the more relevant,” Reid replied, “The unsub is targeting hazel eyed children regardless of race and primary gender, that means hazel eyes are incredibly important to her.”

“Her?” Monroe jumped on his words.

“Also my eyes are brown,” Reid insisted, though no one paid him any mind.

“The level of aggression suggests an Alpha,” Prentiss chimed in, “The lack of gender discrimination implies a female unsub for the primary gender, of course we’ll have to do a bit more research before we can release a full profile to you.”

“Do you have kids, Detective Monroe?” Morgan stepped up, his tone implying that he wasn’t making polite conversation.

Monroe paused, giving Morgan a narrow gaze and raising his eyebrows, “Hey, Hotchner. You always let your Betas give Alphas lip?”

“Yes,” Hotchner replied simply, eyes on the board as Reid laid out their case files on the desk behind him.

Monroe and Morgan had a good old fashioned stare-down while the rest of the group settled down. Morgan didn’t back down but Monroe eventually let out a bored sigh, “No. I haven’t got kids. Never wanted em. I’m married to my job.”

“I imagine so since it comes with so many perks for you,” Reid stated.

“Reid!” Hotchner snapped. Reid winced and Monroe laughed.

“Well, at least you keep your Omegas in line!” Monroe chortled, “You’re okay, Hotchner. I’m going to go bid our previous FBI friends a fond farewell. Useless bitches are fleeing my precinct with their tales between their legs. Here’s hoping you lot can do better than they did.”

“I’ll want to talk to them before they leave,” Hotch replied, heading for the doorway with him. Before he passed through it he saw the rest of his team converge on an anxious Reid and silently wished him luck dealing with his now concerned co-workers.

There were three FBI agents and they were angry, embarrassed, and clearly distressed. Hotch spent some time reassuring them as he hadn’t Monroe and they left after giving him their card. They wanted to know how the case unfolded the _second_ Hotchner caught the unsub.

He returned to the meeting room to deal with Reid, asking Monroe to give him a moment with his team.

“Reid,” Hotch started, but Reid was out of his chair in an instant.

“You told me to stand up to him, so I did,” Reid stated, and if he’d had a tail it would have been wagging despite the worry in his eyes about being scolded.

“I told you to stand up to him, not _instigate_ him.”

“I fail to see the difference,” Reid replied, stepping back a step and looking uncertain. He was honestly confused, not being contrary.

“Stop trying to act like an Alpha,” Hotch replied, “You’re an Omega, not an Alpha, but you’re also a part of this team. That means you act like a professional. That means if an Alpha comes at you in any way that you are uncomfortable with you stand up for yourself, but it does _not_ mean that you go looking for trouble. That understood?”

Reid’s eyes dropped and he nodded, his expression miserable as he acknowledged his mistake. He sat down and Prentiss reached for his hand, but he drew it away. He might have been an Omega but he didn’t constantly lean on Betas. He was as much a loan wolf as Hotchner was.

It made Hotch hard.

Then again, many things made Hotch hard, especially since it had been a damnably long time since he’d last had someone in his bed. Alphas had over twenty spontaneous erections in a day; Alpha trousers were designed to accommodate the regular swelling with a small swath of fabric cradling the penis while limp so that it didn’t become erect at an uncomfortable angle. When an Alpha presented with an erection no one commented on it. It wasn’t even uncommon for them to rub that erection against the nearest pack member without anyone commenting. If he wanted to he could walk up to one of his team and rub his painful hard on against Reid and no one would blink. No one at the _station_. He’d never treated anyone on his team as pack, so his team would be shocked by his behaviour. Reid would see it as him trying to ‘claim’ him in order to keep Monroe off his back, which it would be. He had no right to _actually_ claim Reid, not as pack or otherwise, so he couldn’t act on that urge just because it was hitting him now.

“We’ve got another victim,” Monroe stated, his tone frustrated as he leaned into the room, “No word on the eye colour, _princess_.”

Reid shuddered. A full body shudder, the sort that made all the Alphas in the room stand up and notice.

“His name,” Hotch stated firmly, “Is Supervisory Special Agent Dr. Reid.”

“Yeah,” Monroe chuckled, “Sure it is.”

Monroe turned and Hotch divided up the team, “Morgan and Prentiss to the crime scene with me, Reid and Rossi to the morgue.”

Unspoken was a command from Hotch’s eyes to Rossi’s, _don’t leave Reid alone_.

Rossi nodded and the team split up.


	2. Chapter 2

The child had hazel eyes, but they were still nowhere less than seven hours later when they were woken up out of their hotel beds by a call in. Another child had been killed.

“The killer is escalating,” Hotch growled, snatching up a cup of coffee from Reid’s hands.

“Your welcome,” Reid smiled thinly.

Hotch froze. He’d just…

“Sorry,” Hotch replied, going to hand the coffee back.

“It’s fine, I’ll get some more,” Reid smiled more sincerely and headed back to the coffee carafe.

“Hotch?” Rossi asked.

“I’m handling it,” Hotch replied.

“He needs to go home.”

“I know.”

“Will he?”

“No.”

“Because you need him here? Or because _we_ need him here?”

“We don’t profile within the BAU.”

“I’m observing, not profiling.”

“That’s the same thing and you know it.”

Rossi backed down. He always backed down, that was why they got on so well.

“We all go to the crime scene this time,” Hotch stated, “I want fresh eyes.”

Hotch watched as they studied the scene. All except Reid. Reid had been stopped by Monroe on the way towards the body, just before dodging beneath the yellow tape. They were talking on the fringe of the crime scene and Hotch was pretending that he wasn’t distracted beyond reason. Finally Reid turned and headed back to their SUV while Monroe approached them.

“Where’s my agent, Detective Monroe?” Hotchner asked as he stepped forward.

“I didn’t want him touching the body,” Monroe stated.

“SA Dr. Reid knows not to touch bodies at crime scenes.”

“It’s a _child_ and he’s an _Omega_ ,” Monroe scoffed, “They’re weak and emotional creatures. You’ve got to…”

“Get off my crime scene,” Hotchner snapped.

“Hotch?” Morgan asked.

“It’s _my_ crime scene,” Monroe argued, “I invited you and I can uninvited you.”

“Excuse us for a moment,” Rossi interjected, and took Hotch by the arm to pull him away. Hotch allowed it, but the growl in his throat reminded Rossi that he wasn’t going because he was submitting, “You want me to call JJ?”

“No.”

“She can handle this, it’s what she does.”

“No.”

“What-“

“I’m going to get Reid and head back to the station. I’m not thinking clearly enough to be here and bringing Reid over is going to cause more conflict.”

“Are you going to send him home?”

“No,” Hotch replied, “If I do that it will tell everyone else we deal with after the fact that Reid is a weak link. Worse than that it tells _Reid_ that an Omega can’t work for the BAU without becoming a problem.”

“True,” Rossi nodded.

“I’m going to stick by his side…”

“That tells them both the same thing.”

“Right. I’m going to hover at the station like a bureaucrat and you’re going to pretend _not_ to hover around Reid while still keeping an eye on him.”

“Good call,” Rossi nodded.

“He’s going to have to stand up for himself eventually, right?” Hotch asked anxiously.

“Eventually,” Rossi nodded as they walked back to the SUV where Reid was trying to hide his tears, “But this may not be the case he does that in.”

Hotch climbed into the driver’s side, “Get out, Reid. I’m going back because I can’t keep my Alpha side down but I’m not going to let _two_ agents off this case because of Monroe. Either stand up to him or tiptoe around him and lean on your team mates, but you’re going back there.”

“Why do _you_ get to run and hide but I don’t?” Reid asked, his tone switching to anger, “I _want_ to go home! You said you’d send me!”

“I’m dangerous when I’m out of control, you’re not. You’re a genius and you’ve earned the right to be here. Don’t let Monroe take that from you. Go. Now.”

Reid rubbed at his face again, took a deep breath through his stuffed up nose, and got out of the car. He headed to the crime scene and ignored Monroe when he shouted at him. Hotch made himself put the SUV in gear and drive back to the station without looking back in the rear view mirror.

Reid returned to the station with the rest of the team with a shit eating grin on his face and a swagger in his step. The team were all giving him praising glances when Monroe wasn’t looking and Rossi kept putting his hand on his shoulder and giving him a rewarding squeeze. Hotch smiled at him as he stepped into the room and sat down on one of the desks chairs.

“Good?” Hotch asked.

“Yeah,” Reid nodded confidently, “Good.”

“So what did we find?” Hotchner asked, standing and going to the board.

“We _thought_ we were ready to put out a profile,” Morgan stated with a sharp nod, “Until Reid here asked the coroner to pull up the kid’s eyelid.”

“Brown eyes,” Reid stated, “At least that’s what it looked like. They definitely weren’t hazel. We’ll have to check with medical records to make sure it wasn’t black or grey.”

“So our idea that the eye colour was important is incorrect,” Monroe gloated as he stepped into the room.

“Maybe not,” Reid replied, “This was the most violent yet and it could be because she finally found the right eye colour. Or maybe she thought she had it, but the victim had hazel eyes and when she saw the colour _change_ \- as hazel eyes do- she was overwhelmed with rage at having gotten the wrong victim.”

“Go talk to the victim’s parents,” Hotch ordered Reid, “And take Prentiss with you.”

“On it,” Reid nodded, standing and hurrying out the door with Prentiss on his heels.

XXX

They’d given their profile and returned to the hotel that night, all except Hotchner and JJ meeting in Rossi’s room as they waited anxiously for another call. The unsub had sped up her timetables. She was spending less time with the victims, so little that the last victim had been found before the parents noticed she was missing, but had escalated in violence. On the other hand, parents were terrified and hadn’t been letting their children go to school. It was entirely possible her victim pool was now highly limited.

“You really think that’s why the eye colour changed?” Reid asked, “The victim pool was too small?”

“You don’t think so?” Morgan volleyed.

“I think it’s unusual that something that was clearly an important feature changed so suddenly.”

“You questioning the profile?”

“Maybe,” Reid replied, “I guess we’ll find out since it seems unlikely that we’ll catch her before she kills again. I have a different question for you guys.”

“Okay,” Morgan replied, “Shoot.”

“It’s hypothetical,” Reid stated, “And it’s mostly for Rossi, but you two feel free to chime in too.”

They nodded and Reid shifted a bit before asking his question.

“How many Omegas have you known who worked in the FBI? Or police?” Reid asked.

“Oh, Reid,” Prentiss shook her head, “Don’t do this to yourself.”

“As in not a desk job,” Reid asked.

“That doesn’t sound like a hypothetical question,” Morgan pointed out.

“The follow up is,” Reid insisted.

“So skip the foreplay,” Morgan insisted.

“Six,” Rossi stated, “I’ve known six. One was an Omega Dom, the rest were subs as far as I’m aware.”

“Six?” Reid asked, “That’s it? In all the decades you’ve been working for-“

“Are you _trying_ to make me feel old?” Rossi wondered.

“What? No. Sorry. I just…”

“Still not hypothetical,” Morgan pointed out.

“Why are you focused on that?” Prentiss laughed.

“Because we both know hypothetical questions are rarely hypothetical,” Morgan stated.

Reid’s eyes dropped to his hands and he went quiet.

“Reid?” Prentiss asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want you guys treating me like I’m fragile or…”

“That ship sailed after you were abducted for two days straight,” Morgan pointed out, “We know what you’re made of. Talk to us.”

“How many of them had to file sexual harassment complaints?” Reid asked, eyes still on his hands as he picked at his cuticles.

“Too many,” Rossi replied.

“How many is too many out of only six?” Reid asked, his voice incredulous.

“One,” Rossi stated firmly, “One is too many, but as it happens all six had to report it at one time or another.”

“What about Alphas?” Reid asked.

“Not often, but it does happen,” Rossi replied, “I don’t know if any of them would have told me it was going on, to be honest. We Alphas are _proud_ , you know?”

“Hypothetically speaking…” Reid spoke softly, “If an Omega on a team asked for... if an Omega needed…”

“Reid, you need something you ask us,” Morgan stated firmly.

“I don’t want to sleep alone tonight,” Reid said softly, “But I don’t want you guys to think less of me and I don’t want to make you uncomfortable or make you think I want sex.”

“You’re welcome I my room completely platonically,” Rossi replied.

“Same here,” Prentiss replied, putting a hand out and rubbing Reid’s shoulder.

“Yeah, mine too,” Morgan replied, “But what _I_ wanna know is, _why_? Why are you afraid to be alone tonight, Reid?”

“I’m not _afraid,_ ” Reid replied, “I just don’t want to be alone for the rest of the time I’m in Pasadena.”

“Who’s threatening you?” Morgan asked again.

“No one,” Reid replied, his eyes still not lifting to meet theirs, “Not yet.”

“Either you be straight with us or I’m getting Hotch.”

“I’m fine with that,” Reid mumbled.

“Fine,” Morgan stood up, “But for the record, it’s not weak to ask for backup. Ever.”

Morgan left and Reid waited silently until Hotchner stepped into the room.

“Morgan said you’re afraid to sleep alone,” Hotch snapped. He was erect, of course. Hard and frustrated and wanting Reid in his room but knowing that it would be a _very_ bad idea.

“I don’t _want_ to be alone, I’m not _afraid_ to be alone,” Reid replied, “You told me to stand up to Monroe and I did. It worked. I’m not scared of him or anyone else. I just don’t want anything else going wrong while we’re here. I swear to you I’m not going soft-“

“No one thinks you are,” Hotch replied sharply, “Everyone on this team has a right to ask for support in any way they need. Alpha, Beta, or Omega. Would you be more comfortable spending the night with a Beta or do you need an Alpha presence?”

Reid was silent a moment, picking at his nails and then biting at them while Hotch waited him out. Finally he looked up with a deep breath.

“Doesn’t matter, but to make matters less anxiety riddled let’s go with Beta.”

“Okay, Morgan or Prentiss,” Hotch asked.

“Morgan,” Reid stated quickly.

“That was fast,” Prentiss pointed out.

“You keep trying to pet me,” Reid replied, “No offense, but I just don’t want to be coddled.”

“Okay,” Morgan stood up, “So we’re about to have ourselves a manly slumber party because Reid is _not_ afraid of to sleep alone. Let’s go pack your bags, Reid.”

“Already done, I just need to get it,” Reid stood up and headed for the door, but he stopped when Morgan didn’t follow him right away, “I meant it. Never alone.”

“For the record?” Morgan stated, “Now _I’m_ scared.”

Morgan walked Reid to his room and then back to his own where the anxious young genius settled down with a soft sigh.

“I’m sorry about this,” Reid stated, “I’ll take the floor, okay?”

“Nope,” Morgan shook his head, “You take the bed, I’ll take the floor.”

“Or we could both take the bed and I could be facing the opposite way,” Reid suggested.

“And have your feet in my face? Please. Just let me take the floor,” Morgan pleaded.

XXX

“One of my agents claims that they feels unsafe here,” Hotchner stated.

“This isn’t a prom, it’s a police station. None of us feel safe,” Monroe snarled, “It’s that little Omega bitch, isn’t it?”

“Actually, no,” Hotchner lied, “My agent indicated unwanted sexual advances had been made.”

“Definitely not the Omega, then,” Monroe snickered, “He’s too thin to breed. Bet he couldn’t nurse a flea.”

Hotchner opened his mouth to start the argument anew only to be interrupted by JJ walking in.

“Another child went missing,” She stated, “Parents say his eyes are brown. This time it was a home abduction. He’s getting bolder.”

“Get Garcia on the phone,” Hotchner called, “We need the results of her last searches _now_. I want Morgan and I out in the field to join the search parties. Rossi with Reid, JJ with Prentiss. I want you four searching the town. Question everyone close to the victim. Get me a fresh profile. Reid’s right, something’s off.”

Hotchner was about to leave when Reid stopped him, “Hotch, my hunch was right.”

He held out his phone and Hotchner studied it in silence a moment. The phone contained an article in which Reid featured prominently enough to warrant a close-up picture; someone had added gold and blue flecks to his eyes. They took centre stage in the photo and were quite mesmerizing. 

“Stay with Rossi,” Hotch stated, “Keep an eye on what we discussed.”

“Will do,” Reid nodded with a tight smile.

Hotch returned three hours later, filthy and frustrated after having dealt with sobbing parents and incompetent townspeople. They’d found nothing. Hotch and Morgan had joined the teams searching the woods the previous bodies had been found in while Prentiss and JJ had questioned family members. Reid and Rossi had searched the town and gone over old and new suspects until they were out of leads. Then they’d all returned to the police station and sank down in their chairs.

Reid was having a whispered conversation with Rossi who was looking more and more frustrated. He turned to JJ instead and she gave him an annoyed look. Finally he let out a sigh and headed out of their little meeting room. He headed for the Omega bathroom and Hotchner closed the door.

“We all know what we’re looking at here,” Hotchner stated, “We might as well say it before Reid comes back.”

“A fanatic,” Rossi stated, “A rabid fan of Reid. The problem is, I think he knows.”

“His fear last night is more likely to be related to Monroe. The man thinks Omegas are there for his own personal sexual pleasure. He’s used Reid before. When he showed up here Monroe didn’t even recognize him, I was watching carefully. We’re not looking for Monroe.”

“Wait, what’s Reid afraid of?” JJ asked in confusion.

“Reid told us last night he didn’t want to sleep alone,” Morgan replied, “Or be alone. At all. Not until we leave Pasadena.”

JJ’s eyes widened, “I didn’t know! He just went to the bathroom alone. He wanted me to go with him, but I blew him off!”

“I saw him go in,” Hotchner replied, “I’m keeping an eye on the door.”

“What if someone was already in there?” JJ asked, standing up and hurrying out the door.

“Anyway,” Hotchner stated, starting to relax now that Reid had JJ tailing him, “We have two suspect pools. The police here who heard Reid correct his eye colour when he first walked in, and anyone he spoke to in close quarters after we landed.”

“So anyone who knows his eyes are brown instead of hazel,” Morgan sighed, “That’s not very reassuring.”

“Rossi, Morgan, Prentiss,” Hotchner stated as calmly as possible, “You all know I’ve been a bit distracted by Reid lately. I need you to tell me if what I’m witnessing is sexual assault or my Alpha side in overdrive.”

“Oh wow,” Prentiss’ eyes widened, “Hotch, I don’t think you Alphanizing Reid could be considered _assault._ Maybe harassment at the worst, but…”

Hotchner cleared his throat and motioned over their shoulders with his eyebrows. They turned and stared at the scene that had arrested his attention. Reid and JJ had exited the bathroom in a rush. Reid’s clothes were in disarray and his face was red. Monroe had followed him out, his trousers around his ankles and his boxers tented. He was laughing and holding up his hands, clearly trying to brush off whatever had just gone on.

“I’m gonna kill him,” Morgan announced.

“Get in line,” Hotchner replied, and promptly vaulted the table to fly through the door.

Behind Hotch, Rossi let out an angry snarl and barrelled after him. Rossi ran to Reid while Hotch threw Monroe against the wall.

“What did I say about messing with my agents?!” Hotchner snarled.

“Calm down!” Monroe laughed, “I was just having a bit of fun with him!”

“Hotch, I need you down here,” Rossi stated, his tone panicked.

Hotchner released Monroe and turned hurriedly to where Reid was sitting on the floor and shaking violently. He had both hands clapped over the left side of his throat but Hotchner didn’t see any blood.

“Subdrop?” Hotch asked in alarm.

“Get it off me,” Reid panted.

“He’s said that twice now, we don’t know what he means,” JJ replied, one hand clasping his shoulder while the other held his trousers closed, “I think he’s been raped.”

“No,” Reid stated clearly, “Just my neck. Get it off my neck.”

“Show me,” Hotchner stated.

Reid moved his hands to display a subdual mark on Reid’s neck.

“You see?” Monroe laughed, “Just a bit of reminding of whose boss. He’s _fine_. My belt snapped while I was marking the little shit and my pants fell down. It was actually pretty funny. Right, Pipecleaner?”

“His name is SA Dr. Reid!” JJ shouted angrily, “And he was _safeworded_!”

“He’s just being childish,” Monroe replied.

Safewording meant that Reid’s body would have let out a stinky pheromone that repelled Alphas. It dissipated quickly, so as not to discourage other Alphas from comforting the Omega in distress. They could prove it had occurred with a simple blood test, but an Omega safewording didn’t mean it was necessarily assault. Sometimes things got out of hand and a safeword was used. It was what they were for.

“Prentiss, get us some wet paper towels,” Hotchner ordered, planning on cleaning the mark site. He was firmly tamping down his urge to cover _that_ mark with his own, claiming Reid as pack.

“No!” Reid cried out, “That’s not enough! Alpha saliva has trace amounts of testosterone and other hormones in it. By coming into contact with it I become more easily aroused and Dominated. I want it _gone_! Water isn’t enough!”

Hotch glanced at Rossi who shrugged at him unhelpfully.

“Reid, I need to be clear here. Do you want me to remove it by replacing it with my saliva, or do you want a cleaning agent of some kind.”

Reid’s eyes darted around for a moment, “Saliva. Yours. Rossi’s. Just not his!”

Hotchner all but dove at Reid, pulling him against himself to suckle at his neck. He pulled away in frustration and tugged at Reid’s shirt, “There’s drool all over the collar, get it off him.”

JJ and Rossi stripped Reid of his shirt and Hotchner resumed sucking and licking at his neck. He felt Rossi take a hand but ignored the Alpha as he lapped at Reid’s palm. When Hotch finished with his neck and shoulder he picked up Reid’s other hand and licked away traces of saliva there as well. Reid’s pupils were blown. His little Omega prick was tenting his trousers and he was breathing fast.

“What now, Reid?” Hotchner asked softly, reaching out to pet his hair gently.

“For pity’s sake!” Monroe scoffed, “You guys are pathetic! No wonder we haven’t caught the perp!”

“I’m okay. I’ll be okay. We need to get back to the case. That child might still be alive,” Reid insisted, wiping his damp hands off on his pants and standing with Hotch and JJ’s help.

“You all go write up a new profile. I’m going to talk to the Chief about Monroe,” Hotch stated firmly.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Monroe shouted, “This is ridiculous! Bunch of Omegas, the lot of you!”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. Your chief. Now,” Hotchner snarled, “It’s high time we greeted him in the first place.”

“Her,” Monroe corrected, “Come on, then. Her office is upstairs.”

Chief Bennett was a cold looking Caucasian woman with narrow brown eyes and mid-length, curly brown hair. She was frowning the second Hotchner walked through the door.

“Director Special Agent Aaron Hotchner with the BAU, I’m sorry we haven’t met sooner.”

Hotchner extended his hand but was met with silence and a raised eyebrow.

“I’m here about Detective Monroe,” Hotchner stated, “Two of my team members are Omegas and he’s repeatedly belittled them since we arrived. I wasn’t willing to step in for that- after all, they are agents and capable of defending themselves- but today he took it a step further and sexually assaulted one of them in the Omega bathroom facility.”

Silence. Chief Bennett put down her pen and sighed as if much put upon. Her eyes turned towards Monroe who was giving her a look of amusement.

“I know, can you believe this shit?” Monroe chuckled.

Hotchner frowned, “He’s impeding our investigation.”

“We’re here to stop a fanatical killer. The second this is over expect an investigation by Internal Affairs.”

She snorted. That was it. Hotchner turned and left in absolute disgust. He found Reid sitting in their meeting room with JJ and Prentiss fussing over him. Someone had lent him a shirt and Rossi was pacing angrily in full Alpha pomp, his trousers sticking out far in front of him as if in accusation of the Alphas who stood outside their doors and laughed at the ‘Omega Theatrics’. Hotchner didn’t spare them any words. He shoved past them, let himself in, and slammed the door in Monroe’s face.

“Reid, you say the word and we’ll leave.”

“What?” Reid asked, looking up in surprise, “All of us?”

“Yes.”

“What about the kids?”

“Stay or leave?” Hotchner repeated.

“Stay. Of course, stay,” Reid stammered, “I thought you’d just send me away. I’m all for team loyalty, but we can’t _all_ leave while kids are being murdered less than twenty-four hours away!”

Hotchner’s eyes moved towards Rossi, “We can’t lose you on this one. We all stay or we all go. As a team.”

“Stay,” Reid insisted, “We’re staying. This town needs us. Especially with how messed up the police department is.”

“I take it the Chief was less than understanding?” Rossi asked.

“She couldn’t even spare me a _word_ ,” Hotchner replied.

“Really? She? Hm,” Rossi commented.

“Reid, I need you to take a hit for the team,” Hotchner stated.

“No way,” Prentiss stated, Beta instinct compelling her to protect Reid. Her arms went around him, “Not happening. He’s too scared.”

“I’m not _scared_!” Reid snapped, standing up and pushing them all away, “Look, I freaked out because of what Monroe pulled, but I’m still a member of this team! Hotch, what do you need me to do?”

“Dye your hair.”

They did it in the hotel room to limit the amount of people who had contact with Reid. He was now limited between the hotel and the police station. He was to wear a hat at all times between those two places. His now strikingly blonde hair would give the unsub pause. Dying the hair would draw her to the fact his hair was an important feature and limit her targets since his brown eyes had widened it significantly.

“Blonde with brown eyes,” Hotch nodded proudly at JJ’s dye job, “Much harder to find. Garcia has a list of all the children in the area that are in the system fitting that description. Now if she makes a move on one we’ll know for sure that it’s a fanatic we’re dealing with. We’ll also know that whoever it is has access to Reid at either the hotel or the police station.”

“It’s awfully hot to be wearing a wool hat,” Prentiss fussed.

“Turn it off,” Hotch replied, “I’m feeling protective of him too, but he’s an agent first. Try to keep that in mind.”

Prentiss pulled away, pressing her lips together and nodding apologetically. JJ pulled back a bit as well, though she hadn’t been fussing over him nearly as much. Omegas didn’t get as protective of other Omegas, but JJ did see him as a child so she was definitely babying him.

“What do we do if the unsub doesn’t see me at the station or hotel?” Reid asked.

“Include the LEO in our investigation instead of our suspect pool,” Hotch replied.

“This is crazy,” Reid stated, standing up and rubbing at his new hair with a towel, “I can’t believe she’s killing children to draw me in. If we didn’t know for a fact that leaving would only make her escalate _again_ I’d pack up right now!”

“Don’t start feeling guilty about this,” Hotchner stated firmly, “This is on _her_ , not you.”

“What if this is an Alpha male?” Reid insisted.

“You suspect Monroe?” Hotchner stated, “So do I, but we’re too close to the situation to be impartial. We need to step back and let the facts and profile lead our investigation. We have next to _nothing_ to go on. We need to flush her out.”

Reid nodded miserably, “It’s just horrible, is all.”

“I know,” Hotch nodded, “Do you want to bunk down with Morgan again?”

“No,” Reid replied, eyes dropping, “I want to stay with you, but I’m not certain how appropriate that is.”

“There’s no appropriate or inappropriate when it comes to your needs,” Hotch replied, “Get your things. Morgan, take him to your room.”

Morgan nodded and led Reid out while the younger man stammered about not wanting to insult Morgan.

“I know how it is, man,” Morgan was saying as the door swung shut, “It’s instinct. If you need a Beta…”

Hotchner let out a long breath and flexed his shoulders.

“Maybe Morgan should stay too,” Rossi said softly.

“He should,” Hotchner stated.

“Will he?”

“I’m not going to ask him, if that’s what you’re implying,” Hotchner stated firmly.

“You’re not in control of this, Hotch,” Rossi said softly, “Your eyes _never_ leave him. I’m surprised you _did_ let him go into the bathroom alone.”

“I won’t make that mistake again.”

“I wasn’t trying to say it was a mistake. I’m more concerned with your actions _now_ being a mistake. If he stays the night, will you be able to keep your hands off him?”

“I’ll have to.”

“What if he wants it?”

Hotchner didn’t know what was in his eyes as he glanced over at Rossi, but it must have been revealing because the man took a step back and raised both hands. Reid returned and Hotchner left JJ’s room to take him to his own. Once there he set up the bed with a pillow divider. It wasn’t much, but the fact was that either of them sleeping on the floor wasn’t any bigger of a gap between them mentally.

“I owe you some honesty here Reid, and for the record you can feel free to leave and bunk with Rossi or Morgan instead.”

“Okay.”

“I find you very attractive,” Hotchner stated plainly, “I won’t make a move on you, but I can’t promise I won’t be aroused for most of the night. It might make you uncomfortable.”

“Me?” Reid stated in shock, “I’m still trying to fathom the idea of _one_ person finding me attractive enough to kill, then there’s Monroe groping me in the Omega’s, and now you? Have I hit some kind of second puberty and started putting out pheromones I’m not aware of?”

Hotchner’s mouth twitched, “You’ve always been attractive, Reid. It’s just circumstance pointing it out to you all at once. Haven’t you noticed Alphas preening around you?”

“No,” Reid shook his blonde head, “But then I’m not really aware of social situations the way you are. I rarely notice people around me unless I’m profiling them.”

“That makes sense,” Hotchner nodded, “Do you still want to stay here?”

“If what you’re saying is accurate than your attraction didn’t start recently?” Reid questioned.

“No, I’ve been attracted to you for years,” Hotch replied, “Haley was jealous, despite the fact I assured you that neither of us were even flirting let alone doing anything untoward.”

“Great,” Reid sighed, “More guilt.”

“Reid, there is _no reason_ for you to be guilty about _my_ attraction. My relationship with Haley was degrading and my Alpha was looking for another mate. He spotted you because you’re the nearest young, fertile Omega. That’s on me. JJ drew my attention as well. You were just more… interesting.”

“Why?” Reid asked, sitting on the edge of the bed and holding his bag against himself like a barrier, “What’s so special about me? I know I’m smart, but most people aren’t drawn to that. If anything they’re repulsed. Monroe _hates_ how intelligent I am. He finds it threatening.”

“You’re attractive physically,” Hotchner pointed out, “And I know you better than Monroe does. I know that you are sweet, funny, good with kids, and have a charming smile.”

Reid blushed and his eyes dropped, that quirky smile playing over his lips. Hotchner smiled despite himself. He’d been trying to keep his face blank but Reid was bringing out the sentimental Alpha in him. He wanted to rub his scent all over Reid and wipe away that self-doubt and fear. Reid’s eyes rose and Hotchner wiped the smile off of his face with a great deal of effort.

“I want you too, but I-“

Hotchner’s Alpha wasn’t waiting around for the ‘but’ part of that sentence. He crossed the room far too fast, jerked the bag from Reid’s hand, and threw it down on the ground. Reid was backing up, eyes wide as he crawled across the bed. Hotchner stalked after him, eyes so focused on Reid that his vision had tunnelled. He couldn’t see anything around him. Not even the person sliding out from behind the drapes and raising a gun towards him. Reid _did_ see her and threw himself at Hotchner to stop the bullet from hitting him. At the last moment the assailant lifted her weapon to avoid hitting Reid and the gun fired into the ceiling.

Reid had inadvertently tackled Hotchner to the ground, which would have been erotic had the Alpha not heard the gun go off and gone instantly feral. He rolled over, dragged Reid into the bathroom, drew his gun, peered out the door, and pointed at nothing. Their attacker was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

Bold = Dominant (ordering) voice

 

Rossi, Morgan, and Prentiss kicked the door in and flew into the room with guns drawn. They cleared the area while Hotchner pinned Reid to the floor and rutted against him, sucking a subdual mark into the trembling Omega’s neck. When he came up for air Reid’s arms stayed around him and he held the Omega tightly against his body as he glared up at his team.

“What have you found?” Hotchner asked, trying and failing to force the growl down. Rossi was erect as well, but that was to be expected with an Omega in danger. It was license for an automatic ‘mine’s bigger than yours’ demonstration.

“Window has been cut open at the seams,” Prentiss reported from where she was examining it with her back to the wall beside it, “A sort of hinge installed so they could pull it out and push it back in.”

“We should check the other rooms,” Morgan stated, “They might all be like this. We might be dealing with someone who is stalking the _entire_ BAU team.”

“I have blue eyes,” JJ pointed out from the hall, “There’ve been no blue-eyed murders. Of course, I’m not as active as you guys, but the public does see me more so…”

“Mine are basically black,” Prentiss stated, “None of them have been that dark and I know they’re readily available in the Hispanic parts of this town.”

All their mobiles went off and Hotch snarled in alarm at the cacophony, pinning Reid to the floor again in a decidedly defensive pose. Reid gasped and clutched at him, closing his eyes tightly as Hotchner rutted against him uncontrollably.

“Hotch!” Morgan called, “They’ve been sent a note. We’re needed at the station pronto!”

Hotchner dragged himself out of the feral state telling him to claim Reid as his mate. He was sucking on his neck and he didn’t even remember doing it. Reid was panting beneath him, aroused and grasping at Hotchner as he writhed beneath him.

“Reid needs me,” Hotch heard himself say, not quite aware of the actual words coming out of his mouth.

“Reid needs to be _safe_ ,” Rossi replied, “And he won’t be unless we can get the bastard stalking him.”

“I need a safe place to relieve him,” Hotch replied.

“Hotch, you’re not thinking clearly,” Morgan stated, slipping into the bathroom. As a Beta he could approach either Alpha or Omega without fear of assault no matter how feral they were. He was ‘safe’, “Reid doesn’t want that.”

“Yes, he does,” Hotch replied, moving enough to show Reid’s arousal soaked trousers and throbbing erection, “I’ll go without to save time, but I’m not leaving him like this.”

“Okay,” Morgan replied, “I stand corrected. Reid, you giving consent here?”

“I…I…” Reid writhed miserably on the tile floor, his hands tugging his borrowed shirt down over his messy bottom, “I don’t want you to think I’m a slut.”

“None of us are going to think that,” Morgan replied, “Least of all Hotch.”

Reid’s eyes fell shut, “ _Please._ ”

That was all the incentive Morgan needed to go from protecting Reid to aiding him in getting laid, “Prentiss, Rossi, clear a room. I’m acting guardian. JJ, I want you in my eyesight just in case this bastard is targeting both Omegas on the case and just hasn’t shown us she is yet.”

“On it,” Prentiss nodded. They left in a hurry with a handful of key cards and found Rossi’s room had been altered as well. They returned in a hurry, “Only yours and Rossi’s are compromised. The nearest safe room is JJ’s. I’ll stand guard outside the door while you take care of things inside. JJ and Rossi are going ahead to the station.”

“Okay, let’s go,” Morgan nodded, hanging up the phone where he’d been talking to dispatch about their break-in and attempted murder.

“Hotchner, will you let me stand guard while you move him?” Rossi replied, “I won’t go near him, I just want an extra eye on the hallway.”

“Yes,” Hotchner replied, edging around Rossi with a suspicious glare as he half-carried, half-walked Reid out into the hallway. They formed a guard, keeping an eye out for any movement as Hotchner moved Reid to JJ’s room with Morgan in hot pursuit.

They closed and latched the door, Morgan giving the room another careful glance, even checking beneath the bed. Only when it was fully cleared did Hotchner lay Reid down on the bed and work his bottoms off. Reid was panting in desire, his body hot and feverish. The second his pants were off his legs fell open and he began to arch his back wantonly.

“I think he’s going on a mock Heat,” Hotchner told Morgan as he pulled off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves.

“I’m still aware,” Reid argued weakly, “I don’t think I am, but I’m damn close.”

“Hopefully getting him off will help keep it at bay,” Morgan stated, “I’ve got condoms in my room, but not here. I doubt JJ’s sporting any.”

“Neither am I,” Hotch growled in frustration, “And I’m not wasting time or taking risks to go searching for them. Reid? Are you on birth control?”

“Y-yes,” Reid nodded, “Department requirement.”

“I’m clean, do you consent to unprotected sex?”

“I… I don’t…” Reid shook his head, looking panicked, “Can we not? I’m not trying to be a tease it’s just…”

“We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do,” Hotch replied, stroking his thigh soothingly, “But you might go on Heat later if we don’t get you satisfied now.”

“Fingers?” Reid asked anxiously, “I’ve never actually been with an Alpha like that before.”

Hotchner’s eyebrows furrowed, “I thought you said Monroe…?”

“He just made me get him off. I never even took down my fly,” Reid replied, his tone frightened, “I didn’t even do a good job. He laughed at me. Is this going to hurt? I’ve been on suppressants my whole life. I’ve never had more than one Heat and it was _awful!”_

“Shhh,” Hotchner soothed, leaning down to press gentle kisses to his face, “Hush, Reid. It’s going to be okay. This isn’t going to hurt at all.”

Hotchner pressed a kiss directly to Reid’s lips, one hand sliding down to slip between his cheeks and stroke his wet cleft. Reid gasped and writhed in longing, his body flailing anxiously. Hotch leaned over him and pressed him more firmly into the mattress to contain his wriggling, his fingers pushing into his grasping hole. Reid was tented a bit, but not enough to imply Heat was impending. He was saturated with Omega lubricant and his pucker was swollen with desire like a pair of pursed lips. Hotchner wriggled two fingers inside of him, alternating them as if he were playing the piano. Reid whimpered, his hips slowly falling into a rolling rhythm as Hotch rubbed his own rock-hard erection against his bony hip.

 _He’s so thin,_ Hotch thought to himself, _He needs an Alpha to take care of him. He should be being pampered and satisfied on a regular basis._

Hotch moaned at the thought of spending hours keeping Reid sweet and happy with mouth, fingers, and cock. He’d knot him and then snuggle him until he fell asleep on his cock. It would be _beautiful_. And once he had Reid fattened up a bit he’d fill him with cubs and give Jack the brother or sister that he wanted so much.

Reid was moaning wantonly now, his hands tangled in Hotch’s hair. Morgan’s hand slipped in between their bodies to help Hotch with his erection since he was so focused on Reid. He gave him a grateful glance and moved down to Reid’s neck to kiss him there, the distance between his taller companion had been making his arm ache. With Morgan making sure he got friction on his cock he could focus more on Reid’s needs. He pressed a third finger into Reid’s body and the Omega let out a needy cry.

“More! More!” Reid cried out, his tone one of panic, “Why am I so _empty?!_ This doesn’t happen when I’m alone!”

Hotch groaned. The idea of Reid lying in a hotel bed slipping just a single finger into himself with one hand while tossing his tiny prick off with the other hand was absolutely erotic. Would he lick the finger first to slick up his entrance? Or would he already be wet?

Hotch pushed both of their grasping hands away and quickly slid down Reid’s body, swallowing down his tiny cock and rubbing at his bollocks before reaching down to thrust three fingers firmly inside of him. He aimed for his prostate and a fast orgasm, wanting to hear and see Reid in the thralls of pleasure as soon as possible. Reid’s fingers were back in his hair, pushing and pulling in a demanding way more suited to an Alpha. _Strong Omega. Brave Omega._ He didn’t have to wait for long. Reid let out a startled, strangled scream and came down Hotch’s throat, his hips stuttering and his arse sucking on Hotch’s fingers.

“Aaron!” Reid screamed, drawing another heated moan from Hotchner.

Reid rolled into a second climax and Hotch eagerly sucked it out of him. He didn’t stop until Reid went limp with a satisfied sigh. Reid lay beneath him, wrecked and still with satisfaction. His face was flushed, his hair a mess, and his body drenched in sweat and his own slick. He smiled up at Hotchner in a lazy sort of way.

“I like the way you smell,” Reid stated, “It’s a response to the chemicals released post-coitus in order to make me want you as a permanent mate.”

Hotchner closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself down, “Best not to say stuff like that. It might set me off.”

“We good?” Morgan asked, “I can take you into the bathroom if you want, Hotch. Get you a bit of…”

“No,” Hotch panted, “I can hold off. Spencer?”

“Mmm,” Reid moaned happily, eyes closed happily.

“Reid?” Morgan asked, “You need more?”

“Mm?” Reid asked.

“Spencer,” Hotch leaned over him and ran his tongue from shoulder, over his subdual marking, and up to his ear where he whispered hotly against his lobe, “Do you need me to touch you more?”

“Yeah,” Reid breathed with a shiver.

“Now, or can it wait?”

Reid gave himself a full body shake and as Hotch leaned back he saw him blinking rapidly, “It... it can wait. Wow. I’m… sorry. I didn’t meant to…”

“No need to apologize,” Hotch cut him off quickly, “You have needs. I’d no sooner deny them than starve Rossi. Go clean up, but let me know _immediately_ if you feel that level of arousal again. If I have to I’ll ejaculate on you. It will keep you from sliding back down again.”

“What about our unsub?” Reid asked anxiously, “If she smelled that she’d go ballistic!”

“Since our attempt with your blonde hair has just been compromised, I’d say that her going ballistic is the only option we have left.”

“Damn,” Reid sighed, “My hormones must have _really_ gotten the best of me. It didn’t even occur to me that she’d been in here. Why is this happening? I’ve been in far more dangerous situations without losing control of my Omega side before.”

“No idea,” Hotchner replied, “Maybe your biological clock? Or perhaps this is just a different type of danger than you’re used to? Go clean up. We’ll deal with it as we have to and when we get back to Quantico we’ll have you looked over by a doctor.”

Morgan stood in the bathroom with Reid while he showered quickly and Hotchner spoke to the officers who had arrived to take their statement. He was peering at Reid through the cracked open door as he exited the shower and began to get ready to make his own statement.

“Sir?” Spencer stammered as he dried himself off and scrambled to pull on his clothes, “I just wanted to apologize for using your given name during coitus. I realize it was highly unprofessional, especially given that you were merely performing your duties as the highest ranking, trusted Alpha present to a distressed Omega and…”

“Spencer?” Hotch cut him off, “I expect you to use my first name during sex. I also expect you to enjoy it, scream obscenities, possibly beg, and otherwise act extremely unprofessional. Is that understood?”

“Y-yes?” Reid tried, and then spotted the officers Hotchner was talking to just outside of his line of sight, “This just isn’t my day, is it?”

“Come on out here and make a statement, Dr. Reid,” Hotchner stated, “I’m sure these professional, grown Alphas are done snickering like indulgent school children.”

Reid exited and spat out a shockingly detailed statement to them while they tried to write it down as quickly as possible. Hotch smothered a smile when they couldn’t get it down fast enough and Reid offered to write it for them (politely) and finished his statement that way instead. Then they were off to the station again.

“Have you noticed that we’re not getting much sleep?” Reid asked.

“We slept our first night here,” Morgan pointed out as they turned into the station.

“Yeah, but since then we’ve been kept on our toes. Literally no down time, not even at the station when going over notes. It’s like she’s trying to wear us down.”

“I’m fairly certain I know who it is,” Hotch replied, “And it would explain why she’s only moving when we’re on down time, because that would make it the only time we’re away from her.”

“You’ve got a suspect?” Reid asked, leaning forward in his seat.

“Yes, but gathering evidence is another matter,” Hotch replied.

They went into the station and stared down at the note. Reid was passed the item last and he read it out loud.

“ _I propose a trade._ Interesting. She doesn’t say who. Are we still operating under the assumption the unsub is after me?”

“That’s our primary thought, yes,” Rossi agreed.

“Yet your rooms were the ones with access points,” Reid indicated Rossi and Hotch with the letter.

“That actually proves it,” Hotch replied, “They were that way for long enough for dust to settle on the one in Rossi’s room. They could have broken in at any point, but they didn’t until _you_ were in my room and sex was a distinct possibility.”

“Then in that case the victimology might be off.”

“You don’t think this is a fanatic killing to get your attention?” Prentiss asked.

“No, if she was she’d have approached me by now, tried to win me over, flattered me. This is a disturbed Alpha trying to make a point. Remember the child that was killed after receiving a haircut?”

Reid searched the boards and pointed to that victim, standing beside him, “Ignore the blonde hair. What does the length tell you?”

“Oh my gods,” Prentiss breathed.

“He’s killing _you_.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” Hotch argued, “Why go after children? And why children of either primary gender? Why not hunt male Omegas? There are enough here and they’re easier targets. They could be picked up on their commutes!”

“She’s not exactly had trouble rounding up kids, even with parents on high alert,” Prentiss pointed out.

“Because the unsub knows something that you don’t know about me, that probably even _Garcia_ doesn’t know,” Reid stated, answering Hotch’s questions.

“Something you should have told us from the start?” Hotch asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I _did_ tell you,” Reid replied, “I just didn’t go into enough detail. I thought you’d picked up on it when I explained to you the circumstances of my having met Detective Monroe before.”

“I ain’t never seen you before!” Monroe protested, eyes narrowing, “And I ain’t killing no kids!”

“No, you haven’t killed any children, but you _have_ met me before. What you’ve been doing is showing off,” Reid replied, “You took pictures of me and you showed someone. Whoever you showed is less ignorant than you are and realized what she was looking at. She’s also our unsub.”

“What would pictures of you… and Detective Monroe,” Prentiss stated carefully, “Have to do with this situation?”

“Because at the time, I was in college.”

“Yeah, so?” Prentiss shrugged.

“Oh no,” Hotchner breathed, “How the hell did I miss that?”

“What?” Morgan asked.

Rossi caught on, “Reid’s a genius. He graduated college before twenty. As in _before he presented_ as an Omega.”

“As in before he turned _eighteen_!” Prentiss stated with wide eyes, “This explains the wild age ranges, the disinterest in which gender- first or second- the victims were! All she was interested in was killing Reid, and at the time Reid was a child. A blank slate.”

“Now hang on here!” Monroe stammered, “I ain’t no pedo! I haven’t got any damn pics of you as child!”

“You wouldn’t have known I was a child,” Reid replied, “I had a fake ID on me in a stupid attempt to get in good with the popular kids. Add to that the fact I’ve always been tall for my age, and at the time the person you pulled over was my legal-aged friend. He was the driver, but he was an Alpha. You strong-armed me into performing fellatio on you to get him out of the ticket in order to humiliate him in front of what you assumed was his Beta date.”

“Like hell I did! You can’t prove nothing!” Monroe shouted.

“Except his eyes,” Rossi stated, “I’m willing to bet that whatever pictures Monroe has include _closed_ eyes, and that the picture is identifiable. When the unsub saw pictures of Reid later on they realized the age difference. She’s angry that she’d been aroused by the sight of a child being molested! She’s not killing these kids to bring Reid here, not to seduce him or praise him, she’s trying to _kill_ _past Reid_.”

“Exactly,” Reid nodded, “And she’s also obsessed with me on a professional level. She wanted to see me work. Now she figures she’s won so she wants to trade. The child version of me for the adult.”

“I ain’t got no damn pictures!” Monroe argued again.

“I suggest if you want to clear your name you don’t make a move towards any computers until _after_ we’ve searched them,” Hotch stated firmly, “I’m contacting internal affairs. I’m sure they’d like to know about a cop pressuring children into performing sex acts on him to get out of tickets.”

“I’m calling my attorney!” Monroe shouted.

“Good call,” Morgan replied angrily.

“I think I might have a way to get proof,” Reid replied thoughtfully, “More direct proof. I mean, if he was showing off he’d have shown _everyone_ , so that really doesn’t narrow down our search by much since we’ve gotten precisely nowhere with this case.”

“What’s your idea?” Hotch asked, “And can we discuss it here?”

“It’s more of a thought at the moment,” Reid wondered, “Let me talk to Morgan and Garcia in private. I have some questions for them.”

“Okay,” Hotch’s eyebrows furrowed, but he had no reason to deny Reid some privacy.

Reid and Morgan went into their temporary office while the rest stood outside and read over the notes again and again. The surrounding officers were angry and frustrated, arguing with them while Garcia logged into their computers remotely to search for pictures of Reid.

“You can help us by giving us the IP address to your home computer,” Rossi told Monroe, “We’ll be sure to mention that Reid had a fake ID if you help us find the killer.”

“You can’t prove anything,” Monroe snarled, “And you won’t!”

“It was right in front of me,” Hotch growled at the pictures, “Why didn’t I see it?”

“We try so hard not to see him as an Omega,” Rossi pointed out, “Because acknowledging that makes it hard to act reasonable around him.”

“I think I’ve crossed too far into those tempestuous waters,” Hotchner replied, “I can’t stop seeing him as an Omega now. I can put on a professional front, but I’m going to snap the next time he’s in danger.”

“Which in our job means soon,” Rossi replied.

“I’m going to have to transfer him out,” Hotchner replied, clenching his jaw angrily, “Damn it, he doesn’t deserve that.”

“No,” Rossi replied firmly, “He doesn’t.”

“So what do I do?”

Rossi shrugged, “Last time I was in this situation I married her.”

“How does that help?” Hotch asked in disgust.

“It brings the rage levels down,” Rossi replied, “Especially if they’re on suppressants.”

“What are they _talking_ about in there?” Prentiss asked, waving to where Morgan was waving his arms about in clear argument.

Reid walked up to the office window and pulled the blinds, his eyes locked to Hotchner’s for a moment.

“Something’s not right,” Hotch decided, “I’m going in there.”

“What is it?” JJ asked, starting to follow him.

“Stay here,” Hotch ordered, then reached for the door.

“I’m just asking you to keep it an _option_ ,” Reid argued, “We have _nothing_. No clues, no leads, and we’re questioning the profile!”

“What’s going on here?” Hotch snapped.

“Reid wants to trade himself for the kid!” Morgan shouted, “He wants me to _be okay_ with it and convince y-“

Morgan was cut off by Hotch bolting across the room to slam Reid against the wall. There was a tense moment where they just stared at each other, Reid’s jaw locked while Hotch stared him down. Then Reid’s eyes dropped submissively and Hotch drew in a shaky breath.

“You know I can’t do that, Reid,” Hotch replied, “Personal feelings aside, you’re an agent. I can’t just pass you off to an unsub as a hostage.”

“Agents go into situations like that all the time,” Reid argued, eyes still on the floor, “They negotiate their way in and then back out again.”

“Not as a hostage,” Hotch replied, slowly releasing Reid’s shoulders.

Reid’s eyes rose and Hotchner slammed him against the wall again, “I am on the edge, Reid. Do not push me.”

“I don’t understand,” Reid replied, “You’ve never acted this way before. What’s making you behave like this?”

“You really don’t know?” Rossi asked incredulously, “It’s basic Alpha/Omega psychology.”

“I’ve claimed you as pack,” Hotch explained, “I consider myself responsible for you now, on a more intimate level than as your boss. It stirs up my Alpha side. Add to that our relationship is no longer platonic.”

“You were just servicing me!” Reid argued, “Alphas service Omegas all the time without forming a bond!”

“Not a marital bond, but there are many informal bonds,” Hotch replied, “We have one, whether you want to acknowledge it or not. When this is through I’ll recommend you for a new position so you don’t have to work with me, but we have to get through this case first.”

“I don’t want…” Reid started.

“No decisions now,” Hotchner interrupted, “We have a case to solve and a child is in danger.”

“Which is why I-“ Reid tried.

“Which is why _you_ aren’t thinking clearly either. You’re in overdrive, Reid. A wrong step away from going on Heat despite your suppressants. You hear ‘child’ and you’ll do anything to protect them, just like when I hear ‘Omega’ I’ll do anything to protect them. It’s instinct but it’s not _rational_ and it doesn’t serve a purpose here.”

“Then stop treating me like an Omega and start treating me like an _agent_.”

“By handing you to him?!”

“It means contact, leads, and a safe victim. You can question him and get me back.”

“Hopefully alive,” Rossi stated sardonically.

“We already have a suspect,” Hotchner stated.

“That’s news to me,” Monroe snapped.

“We suspect someone in the police department,” Hotchner stated.

“Aaron!” Rossi gasped in shock.

“I thought the volunteers…?” Monroe started.

“We haven’t got a solid profile,” Rossi put in, “We’re missing data. All we know at this point is whoever it is has an in on the search parties and can move around undetected with relative ease.”

“Guys?” Garcia’s voice squeaked, over the phone, “I didn’t find _exactly_ what you’re looking for but… I did find something.”

“Go ahead, baby girl,” Morgan urged.

“For the record, I never, ever want to see Reid like this ever again. Ever. Is he there?”

“Yes,” Reid stated, “But since I was actually _there_ I don’t think you’ll be shocking me.”

“That depends on how often you’ve googled your name.”

“Umm, never?” Reid frowned, “That’s more your department.”

“I’m sorry,” Garcia said softly, “He’s got a website devoted to you.”

“He, who?” Morgan asked.

“Someone going by the name Dr. Love,” Garcia replied, “Not very original, but it does the trick. He’s got pictures of Reid going back years along with news articles and papers published. Including the ones from when he was pre-emergence.”

“Can you trace it down?”

“Whoever it is was smart about it,” Garcia replied, “I’ve got no way to trace the source. I can come there and take a look at Monroe’s computer. I should be able to trace where the picture went from there.”

“I’ll get us a warrant,” JJ stated, pulling out her phone, “And arrange Garcia’s flight.”

“I’m tossing Monroe in the pen,” Morgan stated, “We can’t talk to him yet, but I don’t want him walking around.”

Hotch was silent. He was staring at his phone.

“Please tell me you’re not looking at what I think you’re looking at?” Rossi asked.

Hotch handed his phone to Rossi who stared at it and frowned, “It’s hard to believe this all started with a crooked cop and a blurry picture taken years ago.”

“Let me see it,” Reid stated, holding out his hand for the phone. Rossi was halfway to handing it over when Hotch cut them off.

“No!” He snapped, snatching it from Rossi’s hand.

“He’s not a child anymore,” Rossi told him, his tone surprised.

“I don’t want him to see this. Ever.”

“I’ll have to testify at some point,” Reid pointed out, “It will be shown to me then. It’s better if I react now than on the stand.”

Hotchner hesitated and then held out the phone. Reid studied it with a still face for a moment and then turned it off, “It’s strange how we forget how we looked, you know? I look in them mirror now and I think I look too young to be taken seriously. I look at that picture and I realize how young I used to be.”

“If it makes you feel any better,” Rossi chuckled, “Eventually that stops.”

“How did he not know I was a minor?” Reid asked, staring at the blank screen of the phone.

“He had to have,” Hotchner replied, “Which is exactly what our lawyers will order.”

“Order?” Reid asked.

“Argue,” Hotch corrected.

“What do we do now?” Reid asked, “We’ve already tried victimology. We profiled the unsub. We profiled the police. We know we’re dealing with a local police force of entirely Alpha males led by an Alpha female and that corrupt cops have been promoted along the way. We know that they’re all _extremely_ sexist and that the lines between right and wrong are crossed constantly in this area.”

Reid stood up and started pacing the floor while Rossi took over his analysis.

“The unsub is an Alpha female with a severe guilt complex due to her past pornographic viewing. Something has recently triggered a psychotic break and she’s taking it out on ‘child Reid’ by abducting and killing children. Before she kills them she treats them the way she feels children _should_ be treated, but eventually they either annoy her or something else triggers her rage. She beats them to death, disembowels them, and then somehow _calms down_ enough to strategically avoid the people searching the woods and dump the body.”

“What calms her down?” Hotch asked, “The killing?”

“That would explain why she repeats it,” Morgan chimed in, “She gets relief from it. Once wasn’t enough. The guilt came back, so she abducted and killed again.”

“Except that if we’re operating under the theory that _guilt_ spawns this,” Reid pointed out, “Why would she _harm_ children in order to repent from indulging in fantasies about a child?”

“She’s sick,” Morgan replied.

“She’s being _pushed_ ,” Hotch replied, eyes narrowing, “Someone who is indulging in this fantasy _still_. Someone who is running that website. That person is _goading_ the killer, reinstating the fantasy until they can’t stop and it becomes a cycle. There’s no longer logic in this situation anymore. The female can’t stop and the male is having trouble covering her tracks.”

“The male’s the one disposing of the body. A team. That fits. We’ve got it now,” Reid crowed, “We need to get this to… _someone_.”

“Except for the fact we don’t know who we can trust,” Hotch replied, “Any of them could be the unsub.”

“It’s Monroe,” Reid argued, “It has to be.”

“Most likely,” Hotch replied, “But we don’t know for sure and…”

Hotch looked up as IA swarmed the room, confiscating files and shutting off computers. They headed straight for the team.

“They’re going to shut us down!” Prentiss stated.

“Yes they are,” Hotch replied, “Officially. Which means we can get Reid out of here safely.”

“No we can’t!” Reid argued as the door swung open, “She’ll go nuts! She’ll go on a killing spree!”

“Who will?”

Eyes turned to face the IA agent who had entered the room. No one spoke.

“Victor Hughs, IA. Who will go on a killing spree?”

“Our unsub,” Hotch replied, “Who you’re about to tell us to stop looking for.”

“You’re the second FBI team on this,” Hughs replied, “Maybe three’s a charm.”

“Why were the first batch kicked out?” Hotch asked, “I’d wondered but I didn’t want a distraction so I didn’t ask. Why?”

“That’s between them and their superiors,” Hughs replied, “I’ll have to ask you all to head back now. We’ll take it from here.”

“You can’t,” Reid argued.

“Sit down, Reid,” Hotch snapped.

“I’m the unsubs’ focus, they’re obsessed with me.”

“Reid, sit _down_!” Hotch shouted.

“If I leave they’ll start murdering at random, maybe even go after an entire school!”

“ **Kneel!** ” Hotchner snarled.


	4. Chapter 4

Reid’s knees hit the floor and he stared up at Hotchner in shock, “Sir?”

“Then you’ll go back to your hotel r- forgive me, your _new_ hotel rooms- and wait until this is resolved.”

Hotchner and the rest of the BAU team stood frozen in shock. Reid didn’t stand until Rossi reached down and pulled him to his feet. Then he kept his head down as Rossi led him out of the complex with an arm around his shoulder and a special glare towards Hotchner. Hotch remained to oversee the transfer of their paperwork and give the rest of them a long list of instructions, their revised profile, and a few hopeful words of advice. When he got to the hotel Reid’s room was empty, but he wasn’t waiting in Hotch’s room for him as he’d hoped.

Following Reid’s scent, made stronger to him by their new connection, Hotchner knocked softly on Rossi’s door. When it was answered several minutes later Rossi shook his head firmly.

“He doesn’t want to talk to you,” Rossi stated, “You scared him.”

“He’s an Omega. He’s submissive. I did nothing unexpected.”

“It was unexpected to _him_ ,” Rossi replied, “Because you’ve never treated him like an Omega before. Add to that, he’s only had a few Alphas pay any attention to him. Did you know he had feelings for Gideon?”

“I suspected,” Hotch replied, “I was with Haley at the time. I didn’t get involved.”

“Neither did Gideon,” Rossi replied.

“I don’t understand,” Hotch frowned.

“Gideon was uninterested in Reid sexually. He treated him like a son. Reid was in love with him and submitted to him regularly, but- supposedly- Gideon never noticed. He just assumed it was Reid’s natural state.”

“Reid’s strong, he’s not a high level submissive. He’s a -2 at best.”

“-3,” A voice called from inside the room.

“Reid, I want you back in my room. Now,” Hotch snapped.

Rossi slammed the door in his face and Hotchner slammed his hand down on it angrily, “He’s mine! I marked him! He’s mine, Rossi! Open the goddamn door! _David_!!”

“Hotch,” Morgan’s voice called.

Hotchner turned around in alarm, “Why aren’t you in there with Reid?”

“He wanted Prentiss this time,” Morgan replied, “Guess he wanted to be mothered this time around. You want to tell me what the hell you were pulling at the station?”

“I just…”

“You just what?” Morgan asked, “You Dom’d him. In the station. In front of his peers. Within eyesight of the men who work with someone who molested him, and possibly the man who is instigating the killer, in order to stop him from leaving the area, knowing full well that if he did _more_ kids would die.”

“I know that,” Hotch replied.

“And you’re here ordering him into your _bed_?” Morgan asked, “What are you thinking?”

“I’m not,” Hotch replied, “I just want him where I can see him. He didn’t safeword.”

“He would have eventually,” Morgan reminded, “He basically has now.”

“Just… let me apologize to him.”

“I don’t think he wants to hear that right now,” Morgan reminded.

Hotchner closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, “I just want him _near_.”

“He’s two doors down,” Morgan replied, “With two people who you trust.”

“But he’s not with _me_.”

“That’s on you,” Morgan reminded.

“Give him a message for me,” Hotchner replied firmly.

“That depends,” Morgan raised an eyebrow, “On what you want me to tell him.”

“I want it official,” Hotchner stated, “I want to claim him.”

“I’m not so sure that’s what he wants, Hotch.”

“I know,” Hotchner nodded, “That’s why he needs to know.”

“Okay,” Morgan nodded, “I’ll tell him, but not now. Not when he’s upset. I’ll tell him when _I_ think he’s ready to hear it and until then you just need to play it cool.”

“I need a Beta tonight,” Hotchner stated.

“I’m yours,” Morgan shrugged.

“Good,” Hotch nodded and headed for Morgan’s bedroom. It was a door closer to Reid’s.

Once inside Hotch stripped down to his boxers and climbed into the bed. Morgan followed him.

“Sex?” He asked.

“Yes,” Hotch replied, “Assuming you’re willing.”

“The mind is, but the body… not so much.”

Hotch smiled a bit, “I know your body has limits. I won’t try to knot you. I’m not _that_ out of control.”

“Okay then,” Morgan replied, removing his clothes and climbing into the bed as well.

XXX

It was three hours later when JJ rapped on the door and Morgan stepped out to answer her, “Yeah?”

“I thought Hotch was with you?” JJ frowned, “I heard him saying through the door…”

“He left after,” Morgan shrugged, “Alphas only get cuddly with Omegas.”

“You okay?” JJ frowned.

Morgan smirked, “Betas only get cuddly with Omegas too.”

“Right. Well, I’m going to go stir him up. Someone broke _back_ into Nathan Sullivan’s home to write the coordinates of Nathan’s body on the wall.”

Morgan punched the door angrily and JJ walked to the next door to knock for Hotchner and relayed the message to him.

“Where’s Reid?” Hotch asked, “You should be with him.”

JJ gave him a shocked look, “Hotch… the _case_.”

“We’re off the case, unless you have information I’m not privy to.”

“Well, yeah but… we could be helping. Chief Bennett was the one who called us.”

“I’m sure she was, especially since she was our prime suspect. She’s going to want Reid in the station staring at her handiwork. I’m done providing her access to her fetish. Now then. Reid. You. Protecting and comforting him.”

JJ folded her arms, “He doesn’t want me, he wants you.”

“Good,” Hotch replied, stepping out into the hall without bothering to put pants on.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” JJ sighed, “He’s frustrated and angry. He’s not going to see you yet.”

“Fine,” Hotch replied, turning and walking back into his room. He slammed the door behind himself and JJ jumped.

JJ returned a half an hour later and knocked again. Hotchner opened the door, rubbing at his eyes miserably, “If this isn’t important you’ll be seeing what I look like pissed off.”

“Reid wants to see you now,” JJ replied, looking away a bit as his Alpha energy pulsed at her.

“Does he?” Hotch replied, eyes narrowed; “He’ll _deign_ to see me now? Well, this time I’m the one who isn’t in the mood.”

Hotch slammed the door again and JJ walked away with a frustrated sigh.

Reid was the one who showed up next. He’d died his hair back to dark colours, though it wasn’t _precisely_ his shade. Hotch was having trouble pulling his eyes away from it.

“It itches,” Reid stated, “Too many chemicals in too short a period of time.”

“Do you need a doctor?” Hotch asked, lowering his eyes to meet Reid’s. Reid’s eyes dropped instantly, “Don’t… I don’t want that from you. Not that submission isn’t attractive, because it is, but I don’t want _that_ kind of submission.”

“I don’t understand what you want from me,” Reid replied, “I don’t know how to act around you anymore. Yesterday… I was just trying to do my _job_.”

“I know,” Hotchner replied, “I was out of line. I saw a way to keep you safe and I wanted it.”

“We can’t work together if that’s how you’re going to behave.”

“Rossi seems to think if we marry I’ll settle down.”

“So that’s what you want to do? Bond with me? Just like that?”

“It’s not abnormal. We work together. That’s kind of like dating.”

“It is?” Reid asked, sounding hopeful.

“Yes?” Hotchner tried.

Reid paused a moment, “It isn’t, is it?”

“No, not even a bit.”

Reid sighed, “I’ve never been interested in someone sexually. Ever.”

“Why don’t you come inside,” Hotchner replied, “This is a bit of a deep conversation to be having in the hallway. Unless you’re not comfortable alone with me in my room? We can get Prentiss or…”

“No, I’ll come in,” Reid replied, stepping into the room.

 _Said the fly to the spider,_ Hotch thought.

Reid located the nearest chair in the room and fell into it, “I couldn’t sleep last night. Nathan _died_ because I didn’t turn myself in to the unsub.”

“No,” Hotchner replied, “Nathan died because the unsub is a murderer. You know that, Reid. You’ve been in the BAU long enough to know that. You’re another victim, in a way. Not the person who killed the victim.”

“I know, but I hate it when we’re yanked off a case. It always leaves me feeling helpless and slighted.”

“Me too,” Hotchner agreed, “Reid, I don’t want to pressure or rush you. I’m just not used to not being in control.”

“Me neither,” Reid replied, “I know what it’s like to be afraid of your own mind. That’s what’s happening to you, right? You’re… losing control?”

“Yes,” Hotch replied.

“And mating with me will really stabilize that?”

“Yes.”

“It has to be during a Heat, right?”

“Yes.”

“I haven’t read very much on Omega Heats,” Reid replied, looking down, “I’ve never been interested in taking part in any kind of sex act.”

“Because of Monroe?”

“I don’t know. Maybe. Maybe not. I just know that knowledge and the pursuit of it have been my only interest. Then there’s all this attention that I don’t even want and,” Reid’s breath was picking up, the scent of Omega anxiety filling the room.

“Spencer,” Hotchner spoke softly, “I’m not going to force anything on you. Ever. I want you, but I want you _willing.”_

“I know,” Reid replied, “I just want less pressure.”

“I’m not trying to create pressure,” Hotchner replied, pacing in front of him, “I’m just not able to _relax_. I’ve wanted you for too long, Reid. Too long and for all the right reasons. I just didn’t want to shatter our comfortable little world.”

“Right reasons?” Reid asked, “What right reasons? And what _comfortable_ little world? We travel around stopping murderers and rapists. How is that cozy?”

Hotch gave him a wry smile, “I meant our socialization. Our group works well together. I didn’t want to ruin that. Now I have.”

“You’re not the only one to blame,” Reid replied, “I asked you for help. It crossed a line.”

“It was within your right as an Omega.”

“It _still_ crossed a line. Just not an official one.”

“So what now? Where do we go?” Hotchner asked, “That line doesn’t go both ways.”

“I don’t know,” Reid replied, “If we go forward I might disappoint you. What if my interest in sex vanishes again?”

“I don’t think it was ever gone, Reid. I think it just wasn’t awakened. You know the psychology, you know that it’s highly likely your abuse caused your sex drive to shut off. It can come on again.”

“Yeah, but if it _doesn’t_?” Reid asked.

“Then I’ll still have you,” Hotchner replied softly.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N as of 1/29/15 I fixed some inconsistencies and mistakes in the first chapter. 

 

Reid was silent a moment, studying Hotch’s face as he stood stock still and waited. Submission wasn’t a one-way street, you didn’t just walk up to an Omega you fancied and start demanding they submit to you. The Alpha had to be worthy of the Omega, had to _earn_ his or her submission. Reid wasn’t highly submissive, so he wasn’t interested in bowing to a powerful Alpha. He had to want that Alpha for other reasons.

“May I ask what level masochist you are?” Hotch wondered.

“-6,” Reid replied.

“So just about the middle, then.”

“That’s what they tell me,” Reid shrugged.

“You’ve never had a scene?” Hotch asked in alarm.

“I was younger than most of my classmates. I attended the classes before it was really relevant to me, so I mostly watched. Once I reached emergence age I took a night class for late-bloomers, but while I tested -3 S and -6 M they were just numbers to me. I had my first mock Heat a year and a half later and spent it alone in a facility. I don’t even remember how I got there. I was told the police were involved, but it was all a blank.”

“You were living alone at the time?”

“Yes.”

“The police transport Omegas in that sort of situations straight to facilities. They’re trained to deal with it.”

“I know,” Reid smirked.

“Right, sorry,” Hotch replied, “Reid, what do you need from an Alpha?”

“I don’t know that I need _anything_ ,” Reid replied, “I never have. I’ve rarely ever leaned on one for comfort. I’ve never formed or joined a pack. I’ve had a friend or two over the years who I’ve contacted when I’ve needed them, but even when I was having issues with drugs I never went to one for discipline or comfort.”

“Did you want to?”

“Sometimes, but it felt too much like imposing.”

“You’d never be imposing on me,” Hotch replied, “I have to admit though, it’s strange that you’ve never wanted anyone. I’ve always been a bit of a lone wolf, but that’s generally because of my inflexible personality. You’re not what I would type as a brat sub.”

Instead of joking about the term the way Hotch had expected, Reid lowered his eyes in shame. Hotch backpetaled frantically, “I was only teasing. Brats are fine. Haley was a brat and-“

“I’m not a brat sub,” Reid replied, “There’s a reason I don’t have any interest. I don’t talk about it because it’s… humiliating.”

Hotch walked forward and sat down beside him, pulling Reid against him with one arm, “You can tell me.”

Reid laughed, “You know, I think I have to. It will probably fix everything. You’ll certainly never be interested in me again.”

“I doubt that.”

Reid was silent, “We should go to the station. See if they’ll let us help in some way.”

“You’re not going to tell me, are you?”

“I’ll tell Morgan,” Reid replied, “If he says I should tell you, I will.”

“When I claim you-“

“ _If_ you claim me.”

“-Then you’ll have to tell me.”

“Yeah. I know,” Reid replied, but he didn’t seem bothered by the idea. Maybe his secret had to do with bonding?

“Reid, are you already bonded to someone?” Reid asked, “I didn’t see a mark, but I wouldn’t put it past you to be able to hide one.”

Reid laughed bitterly, “I doubt I’ll ever bond, Hotch. Not with you or anyone else.”

“We’ll see.”

XXX

They showed up at the station without Reid. He remained behind with Morgan and Rossi. Hotch walked in with his shirt collar undone to show that he had no mating mark on his throat. At least no new one as his mark from Haley had yet to fade completely, though he had smelled unbonded ever since the divorce. He still smelled that way, though he couldn’t actually smell himself. He was glad for that. He couldn’t stand the thought that he smelled unbonded when he _felt_ married to Reid. He knew he was acting as insane as the killer, but it wasn’t enough to stop him. This was a pissing contest now. It was about whom got Reid to bow to them first and once he scoped out the area he was going to bring him in and take this down to the primal level.

At first there was nothing to see. He walked the bullpen, or rather he paced it like a caged lion, and ignored those who told him to leave. He was certain it was Chief Bennett, but when he laid eyes on her his confidence wavered. Monroe was still on his hit list, but he was the last problem, not the first. Then he saw her. So quiet, and so submissive, that at first he dismissed her when his eyes passed her. Then he looked again. She was an Alpha, but an Alpha Switch if not an Alpha submissive. How many times he’d passed her here he had no idea, he’d certainly never noted her until now. Not until her hair had been bleached blonde.

Hotchner’s cell went off.

“Hotch.”

“Hey, it’s Morgan. Reid told me you’re determined to marry his scrawny ass.”

“I am.”

“I have something to tell you that may change your mind.”

“I doubt it. Reid is the first person to catch my eye since I met Haley in highschool. I’m not giving him up.”

“He’s barren, Hotch.”

“I need you to bring him to the station,” Hotch informed them, “I’ve found our unsub, the one who’s killing. I’m almost certain Monroe is Dr. Love, but we’ll bother with him later. I need the unsub to falter and seeing his brown hair will do it. Have him wear a hat and remove it when he steps into the station.”

“Hotch, I don’t think you heard me. He’s barren. He can’t have kids. He’ll never go on Heat. You can’t bond with him.”

“He can go on mock Heat,” Hotch replied, “Bonding is possible during mock Heat.”

“What about kids? I know you want more.”

“Not a problem.”

“Hotch, Reid doesn’t deserve this. You’re reacting to the unsub. He’s greedy for Reid and you’re feeling like your territory’s been breached. I get that, but Reid’s-“

“I kept Haley’s eggs. They’re on ice. If Reid can’t carry them I’ll find a surrogate. Either way he’s leaving Pasadena a married Omega. Now bring him to the station. I want this unsub taken down. Fast.”

“Hotch, I need you to _listen to me_.”

“I’m demisexual, Morgan,” Hotch told him, “I get erections like any other Alpha but the _desire…_ the desire is almost never there. Haley was the only one until Reid, and I wanted him long before her death. This isn’t because of the unsub. This is real.”

“You’re asexual? How is that possible? Betas sometimes are but…”

“Anyone can be asexual, Derek,” Hotch scolded, “I know several asexual Alphas and Omegas. Me being on the gray scale of asexual only made it less obvious.”

“So this is real? This thing with Reid?”

“Very real and very important to me. Is he there with you now?”

“Never out of my eyesight.”

“Tell him I understand and I’m fine with it.”

Morgan repeated it. There was a moment of silence and then the phone made the shuffling noises of a transfer. When Reid spoke Hotch shivered as his desire spiked.

“I’m basically a Beta that smells like an Omega. You’d never have a three-day sex marathon with me. Ever.”

“I’m fine with that.”

“There are several ways to initiate a mock Heat according to the research I’ve been doing since you left,” Reid informed him, “One of those ways is the obvious of a life-threatening situation. My body would go off in order to draw in an Alpha to protect me.”

“There are medications as well.”

“Prescription only unfortunately, so we’re going to go with option number three.”

“Which is?”

“Chase down.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Chase down- in which two or more Alphas vie for the attention of one Omega and the end result is a hunt to claim. I’m not coming to the station. I’m going to the woods where the bodies were dropped. Garcia is ready to send a text to Monroe challenging him to chase me down and claim me. The killer will go as well, and we’ll have our suspect. Morgan’s ready to apprehend her. You I’m challenging personally. You want me prove it. Come and get me. Convince me that I’m desirable and I’ll go on mock Heat.”

Hotch’s lust soared and his head turned to catch the eye of Monroe. He was talking to the mousey Alpha when his phone went off. He checked the message and his eyes widened as his erection tented his trousers. His head flew up and he met Hotchner’s eyes. For a moment they squared off, studying their opponent and looking for weaknesses. Then they were both bolting for the doorway. The only way to get the Omega to go on mock Heat for them was to chase him down, toy with him, get his adrenalin spiking. They’d have to work together at first and then oust the other before taking Reid down. It was instinct. It was deep in their blood. A powerful urge that could not be ignored.

They bolted for their individual cars, not willing to work together _that_ much, and drove wildly to the woods, lights on roofs to speed up their progress. They passed groups of people lighting candles outside the woods in mourning of the murdered children without so much as glancing at them. Some shouted after them, worried another child had been found, but they spared them no words.

Once in the woods the hunt was on, but first they had to find their quarry. Reid hadn’t entered the same area they had, and a bit of sniffing didn’t catch his scent. They split up, each searching for the scent. When they found it they’d signal the other and the chase would start. For now they were searching for their wanton Omega.

Hotch had the advantage here, of course. He knew Reid so he knew how he’d go about things. He’d started the hunt with the pattern of behaviour that his Alpha recognized, but he wasn’t about to let his savage side completely rule him. He returned to his SUV and rode around until he found a part of the woods that didn’t have civilians hanging out. Instead it had a jogging path going through it. He was no athlete and he didn’t want to upset the families of the victims; Reid would choose this.

Hotch parked, got out, and started down the path, sniffing and checking the sides for broken branches. It was a mile until he caught Reid’s scent, close to where the path emerged on another parking area. He caught Morgan’s non-descript scent as well, but that wasn’t his concern. He cupped his hands and let out three sharp cries to alert Monroe that he’d caught the scent of his quarry. He heard two yips in response from the north… than another two from the south.

The unsub had joined the hunt.


	6. Chapter 6

Reid woke up with his abdomen grumbling angrily and fled to the bathroom. This was the second time his body had purged itself and the urge to fast was hard upon him. He staggered into the shower after downing a glass of water with trembling hands and hurriedly washed his body, instinctively sliding fingers inside to make sure he was clean on the inside as well. Reid wiped the steam from the window and stared at his eyes, noting the strain that was so similar to his cravings for delauted. He _needed_ , but he doubted the drug would do more than distract him at this point.

What he needed was Hotch. He was skirting the edge of a mock Heat and he knew it. Reid headed out to the sleeping area where Prentiss and JJ were spooning in one bed, and Rossi was snoring away in the other. They’d traded Reid’s room for a two bed, Reid paying the difference so the BAU wouldn’t pitch a fit about paying for so many rooms and then a double on top. He’d spent the night in Rossi’s arms, but when the Alpha had asked to touch him he’d recoiled. Rossi hadn’t been upset. In fact, he’d smiled at Reid as if he were proud of him. He’d called him a strong Omega, and told him it was good he knew what he wanted. Reid didn’t feel strong, but he was _sure._ He needed Hotch, but first he had to make sure full disclosure was made.

Reid slipped silently out of the room and headed for Hotch’s. The Alpha he found there bore little resemblance to Aaron Hotchner. He was a wreck. His hair was out of place, his body scent escalated to show his intention to mate. He probably wasn’t even aware of how out of control he was as he paced the floor. His suitcase was spread out across the room, items that had been stacked neatly on the dresser he was unconsciously smacking onto the floor as he passed them. Reid managed not to flinch at each crash, but it was a near thing. If he had Hotch would have been on him in a second.

_Maybe I am strong? But am I strong enough to do what I’ve set out to do?_

In the end he was only _mostly_ strong enough. He managed to tell Hotch that he had a secret, but he’d balked at letting him know he’d had his eggs removed in a back alley chop shop before he’d even presented as Omega. Hotch wouldn’t understand. He’d be horrified. He’d be furious that Reid had done something illegal, but the fact of the matter was that Omega’s had little control over their own bodies. Reid had found out from a geneticist that he was going to emerge as Omega someday and panicked. He’d always assumed he’d be a Beta despite his high intelligence. So he’d begged the doctors to take his eggs before they’d matured, showing them the records of his mother and grandmother’s mental illness. Every doctor he went to said the same thing: _You’ll want children some day. Alphas don’t want infertile Omegas. You’ll regret having them removed. You won’t feel like an Omega. It will make you depressed. They can’t even be donated if they’re pre-emergence. At least wait until you’ve had one or two kids._

He’d felt as if he had no choice but to ask an associate in college who was learning to be a surgeon to cut him up in their dorm room. He’d balked at the idea, but quickly found him another outlet. A distant cousin who was just a bit shady, but only because he thought it was shite that Omegas couldn’t make decisions about their own bodies. Reid had made a trip out to see him over spring break and spent the entire summer recovering in a hotel, sick and miserable, until he’d healed enough to go home. If his mother had noticed she didn’t say anything.

In the end it was Morgan who told Hotch, though he told him an edited version. Reid was fine with that. Anything to avoid Hotch hating him, though he’d expected his interest to vanish with that new bit of intel. It hadn’t. He’d just calmly decided Reid could carry Haley’s eggs or he’d find a surrogate, something he didn’t need Reid for. He still wanted Reid. He still wanted Reid _as his Omega_.

 _So much for me not feeling like an Omega just because I couldn’t have kids,_ Reid smirked at the woods around him. Morgan had just gotten done telling Hotch the truth, Reid had just issued challenge. He was heading into the woods with his messenger bag heavy on his shoulder. It contained protein bars for the Alpha who claimed him and juice for himself. He had to keep his sugars up and he had to stay hydrated, but Omegas would fast for a Heat, even a mock Heat. For mock Heats it usually was unnoticeable, just a decided lack of appetite that was usually passed off as oncoming illness until the mock Heat kicked in, but Reid paid very close attention to his body. He knew what this was. His body making sure he had no waste to cause infection when his muscles shifted to open the pathway to his cervix deep inside his body. He was already wet, his underwear and pants slick with natural Omega lubricant. Stretching wouldn’t be needed once he went on full mock Heat. His entrance would tent and the Alpha would just plow into him.

Reid shivered in desire but forced it down. He had to get his erection to relax so he could finish marking his path. He was leading the Alphas to the nest he’d made in the woods beneath the sheltering boughs of a pine tree. It was all soft blankets and pillows, more like the fort a child would make, but it was all his. He just had to lead them there, and for that he had to be soft enough to piss.

Reid managed it, spraying the bushes with a few drops, and then hurried off to mark another tree. This was where they’d find him, and his scent would blow in the wind to any who weren’t following the trail he’d made on the way in. They’d meet him here, taunt him, and then chase him down. The victor would take him- and likely none too gently- wherever he caught him, but the presence of the other Alphas would make him unable to knot. That was why Reid needed the nest. He’d lead the victor to the nest where his scent permeated the area. The other Alphas would give up or be killed in a mating fight. He’d lay down and give himself to the victor, the very act of entering his nest triggering the final stages of the mock Heat.

Reid groaned as his body tented at the very idea. Morgan wasn’t far away and he called out to ask if Reid was okay. _My protective guardian_ ,Reid smiled fondly at the Beta.

“I’m fine. Just getting closer.”

“The Alphas aren’t. You’d think Monroe and the unsub would be here by now. They know the woods better than Hotch.”

“Yeah, but Hotch knows me.”

“You mean there’s a _reason_ you took the most obvious path around into the woods?”

“Aside from laziness and intense fear of poison ivy? Yes. I’m a Vegas man at heart. I’ve calculated their odds at reaching me as 2:1. Hotch and the unsub will get here about the same time and Monroe- who is far less motivated- will get here last.”

“The unsub is the dangerous one,” Morgan replied, “I’m not even going to intervene with Monroe. He’s got a right to compete, even if he is a sick fuck. You invited him. The unsub I’m taking out fast. He’s disorganized and just as likely to try to kill you as mate with you.”

“I’m fine with that,” Reid replied, “I don’t want the unsub. She’s nuts. I want Hotch, but I need the competition to go on mock Heat, so Monroe will do.”

“If this doesn’t work? What if Monroe catches you?” Morgan asked.

Reid heard a branch snap in the distance, “He won’t. Like I said, less motivated. His obsession with me is tied to the unsub. Deep down inside he’s gay. He wants _her_ , not me. When you take her out he’ll back off. I’m more concerned with my mock Heat not kicking in. If it doesn’t work I might have to ask Rossi to help, and that’s not really fair to pitch him against Hotch.”

A rock was thrown, hitting a nearby tree. Morgan drew his gun but Reid simply glanced at it. Diversion tactics? He tracked the rocks trajectory easily and located the figure slipping through the woods.

“It’s the unsub. Hotch would know that wouldn’t work on me.”

Another branch broke, this time from the opposite side, “Well it’s freaking the hell out of me. Is Hotch here, too? Or is she that fast?”

“I’m not sure,” Reid replied, “The branches might be him.”

“I sure hope you’re right about this,” Morgan replied.

This time a much _larger_ rock came flying out of the woods, and it headed straight for Morgan’s head. Morgan ducked it, but had to lower his gun to do so. At that moment someone shot out from the other side, rushed through the clearing too fast to be identified, and tackled the unsub. Reid felt his pulse amp up, the calm vanishing. They weren’t following the natural order of The Hunt. They should be working together to taunt him out, not attacking the Beta! He should be being ignored! That must have been why the other Alpha (Hotch? Monroe?) had gone after her. She wasn’t behaving the way their instincts dictated.

Savage snarls and the snap of branches filled the air. He could vaguely see through the underbrush where they were wrestling on the forest floor. It _was_ Hotch and the unsub, a bleach blonde female with a slight build and a hell of a lot of spunk. Hotch drew an arm back and punched her hard enough to stun her, then got up and took off into the woods. He hadn’t finished her off because his instincts weren’t demanding he do so. His instincts were demanding he taunt the Omega and trigger a Heat so he could claim him.

Reid steadied himself, determined to wait this out until his Heat kicked in. He glanced at Morgan who was moving towards the unsub with his weapon trained.

“Don’t move!” Morgan shouted, “You’re interfering with a legitimate Mating Hunt. I have the right as a citizen to restrain you until completion of the Hunt… and then charge your ass with everything I can think of as an FBI agent, you sick fuck.”

The unsub staggered upright and Morgan frowned, “You recognize her, Reid?”

Reid wasn’t paying attention. Monroe had arrived and the hunt was escalating. Monroe had pissed over one of Reid’s spots, not bothering to antagonize him since Hotch had already shown himself, his scent cutting through the clearing. Hotch was still teasing him by breaking branches and shaking saplings. Reid wasn’t spooked and his frustration was mounting. A _proper_ Omega would be hyperventilating and considering running by now, but Reid just felt aggravated.

“Come on, you guys! This isn’t _worki-_ AHHH!”

Hotch might not have bothered throwing rocks to spook him, but he’d thrown something all right. A snake. He’d thrown a _snake_ at Reid! It was harmless, or at least that was what Reid’s brain told him even as his adrenaline spiked and his legs took him out of the clearing and charging into the woods in fear. The Alphas were after him, howling and snarling in rage. There weren’t two, though. _There were three_.

Morgan hadn’t managed to subdue to unsub. She’d likely reacted violently to his sudden bolt. Hopefully Morgan hadn’t been harmed, but at the moment Reid couldn’t spare him a thought. He was charging forward, branches whipping him in the face and tearing at his clothes. He tripped over a rock and fell into a stream, gashing his leg open in the process. The coppery smell of blood drove him into further frenzy, and judging by the howls of outrage and screams of demand behind him it was affecting the Alphas as well. One of them circled him and Reid was nearly trapped as hands reached out and grasped at his shirt. He ducked and managed to wriggle free of the confines of his garment before the hands could grip his flesh. He bolted to the left and another Alpha cut him off, tackling him to the ground and savaging his flesh with sharp nails. They emerged only during a Mating and they were meant to hold the Omega in position rather than tear. Three broke as Reid fought them hard until he could struggle out of their grasp. He staggered only a few more steps and two Alphas emerged at once. He bolted to his right, heading back towards his clearing as the Alphas all charged after him as one. They must have split up because he could hear them running parallel to him again, and then one of them turned aggressive. A fight broke out, but Reid kept running despite the screams of pain behind him. A death gurgle caught his ears and the wind carried the scent of blood to him once again.

Reid bolted into his clearing and out through the other side, and this time a Beta was running with him. His scattered brain supplied a name, but he was confused by the pheromones running amok in his brain. The Beta was shouting something, but Reid was losing himself as his hormones amped up. The Beta either fell or was knocked down. _Interference again?_ Reid continued until he was cut off by one of the Alphas.

His mind was too far into the Hunt to tell the difference between the one he wanted and the two he didn’t, so he bolted to the right. Another cut him off so he fled away from them both. They were heavily competing now, snarling at each other as much as at him. He only heard two now, but that didn’t mean the third wasn’t coming or that the Beta wouldn’t interfere again, assuming either were alive. As they crashed after him he realized that he was running out of energy. His body was starting to slow, his heart rate dropping so that breathing while moving fast became difficult. His adrenaline had dropped in order to raise other hormones. He was about to go on mock Heat.

Reid stumbled, toppled forward, and fell to the ground. One of the Alphas was on him in an instant tearing off his clothes, but before he could do more than tear his shirt open the Alpha was dragged off of his body by the other Alpha. Reid rolled over and stared up at them as his body began to throb. He could feel himself tenting further. He was _ready,_ but the two Alphas were tearing each other apart. One of them had a knife and as he panted in longing they began to wrestle over it.

“Please,” Reid whispered, struggling out of his damp and itchy clothes. They felt like sandpaper on his aroused flesh, “Please, it _hurts_!”

Reid’s body was throbbing; he ached deep inside of his body with a need that was far too unfamiliar for an Omega in his twenties. The Alphas had finished their dominance fight. One lay still on the ground. Reid keened in distress. Death was rarely the result of this sort of battle. He struggled backwards as the winner approached him, frightened despite the desire thrumming in his body. To the victor went the spoils; it was as old as humankind itself.

“Mine,” The Alpha growled and Reid whimpered in submission.

The Alpha pounced on him, shredding what little clothing remained on him and shifting him about until he was in the proper position to both breed and mark. By the time this Alpha finished with him he’d be married and it would be Reid’s duty to serve that Alpha until he either broke the bond or died.

The Alpha was on its knees behind Reid, sniffing his wet hole and lapping at it. Whoever it was made soothing crooning noises, the intent to show pleasure in Reid’s compliance and smell, that left Reid feeling giddy with happiness at having satisfied it. He whined and pushed his bottom back against the Alpha.

 _Yours_. _Take me._

“Hurts,” Reid moaned, pushing back more.

He heard the Beta shout out again, but his mind was so deep in mock Heat that there was no way to interpret those words. A hand moved along his bottom and a up the curve of his arched back. A hard, thick cockhead prodded his wet crack, sliding along the wet orifice for a moment. Then the initial push occurred and he let out a soft cry as he felt himself stretched wider than he ever had by his own curious digits. It burned. It soothed. He wanted _more_ and _deeper_ and _yes!_ The Alpha pressed into him and then met resistance. His hymen was still intact. There was another moment of pressing and then that long, throbbing member pushed deep into him in one hard shove that left Reid gasping and sobbing in a mixture of pleasure and pain. Reid’s cock was leaking on the ground beneath him and he could see the huge swell of Alpha bollocks hanging below his own small orbs. The Alpha adjusted position, slid free, and began to pound into him with solid thrusts at a surprisingly slow rate. Reid moaned in relief, glad for the reprieve of aggression as his body hummed in pleasure.

The Alpha began to speed up, thrusting into him fast and hard as Reid panted and pressed back. His cock was throbbing and the constant rub against his p-spot was perfection. He was moaning out his pleasure, so close to release he could feel it, when the Alpha’s nails dug into his hips and it thrust _hard_ against his backside. Reid screamed, saw stars, shook, his arms gave way, and his face crashed into the leaf debris below him. His head was spinning and his arse _burned_ from the tear of the knot entering him. The Alpha was stuck in place, his hips still for a moment as they both adjusted to the sudden intrusion. And then the Alpha let out a low moan of pleasure and began to roll his hips.

All sense of pain vanished in the face of the knot grinding into his prostate. Reid gasped and his cock erupted across the ground beneath him. The Alpha responded to the grip on his knot by grunting and letting out a flood of seed into his body. Reid moaned as he felt wave after wave of the hot fluids coat his insides. The Alpha rolled his hips again and this time Reid joined him. They were grinding against each other in bliss when the Beta burst through the underbrush. The Alpha growled a bit, but only to let him know not to interfere again. Yet for some maddening reason the Beta _kept coming closer!_

“No,” Reid moaned, “Mate. Please.”

Reid arched his back, pushing his head and shoulders up on shaky hands as he offered up his neck for marking. The Alpha took the hint and stretched across him. The Beta shouted something and then teeth sank into his shoulders and the gland in his neck exploded. Fluids mixed with saliva and Reid could feel the Alpha pulsing inside of him again. The pain in his neck seemed to be attached to his cock and he came with a satisfied shout.

The world blackened. The Alpha lowered him to the ground and continued to take him, moaning in ecstasy as it plundered his body. Reid lay sweaty and drained, a willing offering to the power of the Alpha who had claimed him.

Forever.


	7. Chapter 7

Hotch wiped the blood from his claws onto the remnants of his clothes, much torn from two battles. The Beta had helped with the one, and he would be punished for his impudence, but he had finished off the unwelcome Alpha himself. She was clearly no threat but had refused to back down, forcing him to kill her. Now she would pester his beautiful Omega no more.

_Oh, look at you. Prostrate before me. Offering yourself up. I will give you such pain and pleasure, and once I own you there will be only my touch. I will shower you with gifts and wring cries from your lips. I will worship your beautiful body as you ride my cock and scream my name. I will savage your enemies and mark your throat as mine. Mine. MINE!_

“Mine,” Hotch growled, and that sweet, beautiful creature whimpered.

 _Spencer. You should have been taken gently the first time, but I can’t make that happen now. How sweetly I’ll make love to you when this is through but now… now I will OWN_ _you._

Hotch didn’t remember tearing off either of their clothes, but that’s precisely what had happened. He did remember that first caress of Reid’s burning hot flesh. He felt like marble in the heat, his body so tense from the run and his ardour that it was as taut as a bowstring. He would play him like a violin and make him sing with the throb of the blood in their veins as their tempo.

He sampled his sweet, tender boy, tasting the spicy slick that his body had spilled forth to prepare for his entrance into that hot, tight hole. He was tented fully, his opening round and twitching as it waited to be stuffed. Reid was a whimpering mess, whining and pushing his bottom against Hotch as he begged to be filled.

_Yours. Take me._

“Hurts,” The sweet Omega insisted.

That damn Beta again, but Hotch ignored him. There was no stopping this now. He’d kill the bastard if he came closer.

Hotch petted his pretty Omega, soothing him as he lined up and then slowly pressed his swollen cockhead into that suckling hole. Reid’s body welcomed him inside, muscles tugging at his foreskin as that greedy hole tried to suck him in faster than was safe when mounting a virgin. Hotch paused when he felt the barrier that existed in male Omegas. It would protect his cervix until he was ready to have an Alpha care for him instead. Hotch grinned wickedly. This was _his_ Omega and tearing that flesh would claim the pliant body beneath him as his and his alone. With a firm thrust he tore through it and revelled in the screams of his beautiful lover. _Mate soon. My mate_.

Hotch moved slowly in the tight body beneath him, knowing that to press his speed now would be both cruel and unnecessary. They had all Heat to woo and overwhelm each other. He would pleasure him until he passed out, then fetch water for him, than repeat it again at a faster, harder pace. They would leave these woods sated and oh, so very sore. The very idea overwhelmed him and he felt his knot begin to swell. It was soon for a knotting but the Omega was keening and begging for it, his internal muscles twitching around the Alphas impressive cock as he attempted to draw him in deeper.

_You want it? FINE!_

Hotch slammed in and the Omega screamed like the bitch he was, coming even as he partially collapsed. Hotch didn’t remember bringing out his claws, but they were deep in flesh now, keeping him where he needed him so he could grind his knot into that grasping hole. He gasped and shook as wave after wave of pleasure drove his eyes to roll back in his head as his hips stuttered and ground against Reid’s trembling body. His full, heavy bollocks emptied into him over and again. When the beautiful Omega begged to be marked, foolishly afraid of the _Beta,_ he felt no urge to deny him. He stretched his body across his mate- _See? Safe. Mine. Protect you. Always._ – and sank the mating teeth that retracted from his gumline deep into the plump little orb between shoulder and neck. The gland burst on his tongue, the sacarine sweet taste of _Spencer_ flooding his mouth in sharp contrast to the copper tang of blood. His mouth salivated and he could feel the pulse of the gland as it absorbed his offered fluids to change Reid’s scent to that of a mated Omega.

_So beautiful. So desperate to absorb me from both ends. Mine. My Spencer. My mate._

XXX

Morgan fought his way free of the bushes that tried to keep him away from Reid. He’d helped kill of Monroe but the damn unsub had escaped him again. He had no idea how she was so fast, but she was deceptively athletic. Alpha genes, though she sure didn’t look as if she carried them. Most Alphas were imposing, but he’d have mistaken her as an Omega had he not caught her scent. Yet Alpha she was.

An Alpha that was closing on Reid and the Mating scent was high in the air. Morgan ran fast and hard, determined to get there, and sending out shouts to try and draw their attention. He needed to make sure Reid was with _Hotch_ , and only Hotch. That damn female Alpha would never willingly relinquish him if he didn’t stop her _now_.

Except by the time he got there Hotch had already seen to the trouble maker, despite her having brought a knife to an Alpha fight. She was well and truly dispensed so Morgan checked in on his Omega and Alpha friends. What he saw alarmed him greatly. Reid’s knee was damaged, a big gash down the side of it bleeding profusely as his entire knee swelled up. He had to get off of it! Except he was already in position for mating and that meant all his weight on what was clearly a shattered kneecap. He wouldn’t feel the pain, he was too far into the adrenalin rush, and Hotch wouldn’t note something that wasn’t life threatening. Hell, he might not have even noticed something that wasn’t. Mating was a state of feral frenzy.

Morgan decided moving things alone was the best bet. He grabbed a stick and waived it at them, shouting for Hotch to get off of Reid. It worked. Reid begged to be marked and Hotch agreed with an eager bite to the neck. Morgan felt his own desire rising as he watched them thrash, Hotch’s teeth savaging Reid’s neck as his cock pulsed inside of him. Then it was done. Reid was sinking into the calm part of Mating that would leave him limp as a rag doll and Hotch was starting to croon in the way that Alphas did to sooth their mate into releasing their knot. Morgan stepped forward and eased Reid onto the side that would harm his injured knee the least and made sure Hotch wasn’t damaged anywhere. He had a few cuts and a rather nasty gash on his head, but he was going to make it.

The two drifted into slumber, Hotch still easily awoken but Reid in a deep state of near hybernation. He would stay that way for three to six hours, however long his mock Heat took, while Hotch bred him over and again. Hotch would remain to mate him, his knot only fully deflating when the mock Heat was over now that no other Alpha could claim Reid.

Morgan walked a few paces off so Hotch wouldn’t wake up easily and phoned for an ambulance and a wagon with two bags. He dragged the corpse of the Alpha female a few paces off so Hotch wouldn’t be disturbed when the ME showed up to take away the body. Then he set about performing his duty as a Beta by caring for Reid as best he could. He wrapped his knee into a splint as best as possible given their surroundings and tended to Hotch’s head wound. Then he lay down and kissed Reid’s forehead tenderly while he waited for round two to start.

The emergency crew arrived in the midst of round two, but were courteous enough to wait it out. Morgan had joined them this time, moaning in pleasure as he pressed his cock into Reid’s kiss swollen lips. A Beta was no threat to a mating, if anything they were an advantage to have around, so there was no distress from either at his enjoyment. He watched as Hotch slid his shaft in and out of Reid’s willing body, his own cock smaller but no less powerful as he took the beautiful Omega’s mouth. He wasn’t fool enough to think he had a right to Reid just because of this, but if they invited him to bed again he wasn’t about to say no. Not with the way Hotch growled and groaned as he took Reid again and again. Once knotted Reid was quick to climax and Morgan followed him with a heady groan. Hotch relaxed and made soft sounds of pleasure as his cock pulsed into Reid’s pliant body once again. Now that he was tied to him again he relaxed and Morgan motioned the techs forward.

“The Omega’s knee seems the most severe injury,” Morgan whispered as he did up his flies, “But the Alpha’s got a nasty gash on his head. Might be concussed.”

They examined them both and gave Reid an anti-inflamatory shot along with a pain killer, explaining to Morgan that once the adrenalin wore off he’d be in enough agony to traumatize him. Then they set about cleaning the wound on his knee and wrapping it up. The tech theorized that it might not be as bad as Morgan had feared. Once they finished up with cleaning and wrapping them both up as much as possible (one side being inaccessible) they left Morgan to snuggle up to Reid and sleep for a bit.

When Morgan woke an hour or two later it wasn’t to their frantic coupling, but to the sound of Reid moaning in pain. His mock Heat was over and he was in _agony_. The bodies had been carted off and Hotch’s knot had gone down, so they carefully placed Reid in the gurney and took him to the nearest hospital for x-rays and some stronger pain meds. Hotch road along since they wanted him to get a scan as well, besides there was no separating him from Reid now. He was staring at the young Omega as if he couldn’t believe his luck. Just before they parted he gave Morgan a tight hug and whispered a thank you.

Morgan smiled as he watched the ambulance drive off with his two friends and co-workers. He felt quite the sense of accomplishment and was honoured to have been part of their union. He contacted the team and told them the outcome and they all went to the hospital to raid the gift store for Mating presents before harassing Reid and Hotch in their hospital room. It was a warm moment for them all even though Reid was going to be laid up for quite a while with a torn tendon. He’d need physical therapy, but Hotch was planning a pregnancy to go along with it so no one was overly concerned.

“It will be perfect,” Hotch insisted, “We get you implanted with Haley’s already fertilized eggs and by the time you’re ready for field work again they’ll be in daycare. Perfect.”

Reid smiled up at him in amusement, “Don’t I get a say in this?”

“Of course you do,” Hotch frowned, “What do you say?”

“I’m in,” Reid smiled, patting his abdomen, “Bring on the baby Hotchners.”

VVV

_A/N The following is what I ALMOST wrote, but it was too nutty and wouldn’t have ended well so I decided not to continue it. Still, it was pretty damn fun so I decided to keep it and toss it in here for your amusement. There are some serious deviations from the other plot so expect a bit of confusion reading it._ _  
_

 

Hotch threw open the door to find Morgan staring out an open window and Garcia loudly apologizing over the speaker phone.

“I’m sorry sir! I really am! I didn’t want to, but he made me! He said the BAU doesn’t have a right to interfere in his mate selection, and I googled it, and he’s right we don’t, but he can’t possibly be thinking straight if he’s going after an _unsub_ am I right?”

“What are you talking about?” Hotch asked, shoving Morgan aside to look out the window. A car was starting up. _Reid was driving away_.

“Check your text message,” Garcia whimpered.

Hotch scrambled for his phone.

**I’m impressed. Let’s take this where it started. Catch me and you get to keep me. Kill or harm someone on the way and I’ll safeword. Reid**

“Hotch!” Prentiss called, stopping him as he was about to crawl out the window.

**Find the child. The kidnapper is an Alpha Female with strong attachments to the woods in Pasadena’s park. She will be keeping the Nathan safe until she can dispose of him like garbage. Save him and you save me. Omega in Heat.**

The race was on, and even uninterested Alphas were taking part. Those who had mates were being spurned on by the message their mates had received, the instinctive need to protect an Omega in danger being keyed up by their Omega mates need to protect a child. The entire town was rallied and houses, shops, and vehicles were being illegally searched in the name of finding either Reid or Nathan. No one resisted the searches. They simply threw open windows and doors out of fear of the over-exuberant Alphas beating them to death in order to get in. Betas were trying to keep Alphas in line and Omegas safe as they searched for either Reid or Nathan.

There were sure to be casualties despite his proclamation. Reid would face discipline. Hotch would have to be the one to deliver it or face it himself. None of that mattered in the face of _finding Reid_. He’d introduced mating as an incentive and Hotch was _incensed_.

He also knew the case inside and out, which meant he and Rossi were driving at top speed to the first place a child was abducted- the parking lot of Pappi’s Hacienda. Police with sirens were hot on their trail and it was sure that Monroe wanted Reid _badly_ after what he’d found out. Hotch had no intention of losing to him, especially since Reid’s happiness was on the line. Sure, he could break the bond that would result from the mating that would happen as _soon_ as an Alpha caught him, but it would take time and be severely stressing on his mind and body. And in the mean time it was sure that any Alpha from the police station would treat him like filth; not quite abuse him, it wasn’t in the nature of mentally stable Alphas to truly harm an Omega, but there were plenty of ways to make an Omega unhappy without doing lasting damage. Hotch wasn’t going to let that happen, and he wasn’t above making sure he or Rossi got to Reid in order to avoid it. Rossi and he had a silent agreement to aid the other to make sure that happened.

They made it to the scene of the first abduction where madness was reining. Cars were being emptied of contents, Alphas and Omegas were shouting and chasing each other around, some shouting for Nathan while others shouted for Reid. All of them were making a damned _mess_.

“This is impossible,” Rossi shouted over the racket, “No way is he here. He’d be climbing a pole to get away from them.”

“Or being raped on top of a car,” Hotch growled, “He must have left a clue.”

“What is this, a scavenger hunt?”

“He orchestrated this,” Hotch replied, “You know full well he’s not _impressed_ by the unsub. He’s distracting the unsub from killing the child while organizing an unorganized search for Nathan. He’s also luring out the unsub, and she’ll be willing to kill to get to him.”

“Evidence,” Rossi snarled, “Not the kind I’d go for.”

“The fact is if he’d not done this we’d be searching for the unsub for years,” Hotch pointed out, “She managed a house abduction under high scrutiny and _still_ left no evidence behind.”

“What we need to do is use this mayhem to our advantage and search Chief Bennett’s house.”

“Not until we find Reid,” Hotch replied, and then headed for the nearest blue car, hoping he’d find something in a vehicle similar to the one the first victim had been taken out of. He yanked it open and searched it hurriedly. Nothing. Rossi was at another blue car.

“What if he’s not here?” Hotch shouted, “Where do the Sullivan’s live?”

Rossi pulled out his phone, “Garcia, what’s the Sullivan’s address? … Got it. Let’s go, Hotch.”

They rode like mad to the Sullivan’s house where the blue car was sitting in the garage. The garage door had been ripped off and the car doors were open. They found Reid’s note crumpled up on the ground.

“Someone beat us here,” Hotch snarled, looking it over, “ _I cover 75% of the world, yet am unavailable to those who need me most. I’m come in three forms but you are only concerned with the lightest. What am I?”_

“Steam, but what’s that got to do with anything?”

“The plant,” Hotchner guessed, pointing to two tall stacks that were spouting out steam, “It will have security and chances are no one’s going there.”

They hurried over to find a few police officers there and a small group of civilians. They were trying to tear down the fence. Hotch scanned the area and Rossi pointed out the guard at the entrance to the gate. He was standing there with his weapon drawn waving a piece of paper at people but they were mostly ignoring him.

“I’ll take that, thanks,” Rossi stated, holding out his hand. The guard turned it in. He was a Beta, someone Reid would feel safe approaching, “Good thing you lot make up most of the population.”

The Beta nodded, but he didn’t look the least bit relieved, “I need that back when you’re done.”

“No problem,” Rossi replied.

“Yes, problem,” Hotch snapped, taking it from him, “I don’t want anyone following us.”

“That defeats Reid’s point, and you know it.”

“I don’t give a fuck about Reid’s point!” Hotch snapped, “ _Looting is naughty, you should be ashamed of yourself. Try being reasonable and ask a few questions instead. Start with the janitor at the police station.”_

“Round and round and round we go,” Rossi announced.

They hurried back to the police station where the janitor had locked himself in a closet. Hotch was all for ripping the door off the wall but Rossi calmed him down and started questioning the janitor.

“We were told to ask you about Dr. Reid. Did he leave a clue with you? Perhaps a note?”

“I don’t know any Dr. Reid!”

“What about Nathan?” Hotch asked, pushing Rossi aside.

“What about him? He’s my cousin’s kid.”

“Leave it to Reid to chat up the janitor,” Rossi chuckled, “Where did he play the most?”

“He’s twelve. He hangs out at the skateboarding park.”

“What about at home?” Hotch asked, “What does he do there?”

“Video games, what else? That’s all kids do these days.”

“Let’s go,” Hotch replied.

“Where’s Morgan?” Rossi asked the janitor after halting Hotch with a quick grasp to his arm.

“At the Chief’s cabin by the park,” The janitor replied, “He told me to tell anyone that who asked. No idea why he’d go there, though. It burnt down a week ago. Some damn kids torched it.”

“Another trigger,” Rossi whispered, “Cabin, park, or the Sullivan’s house again?”

“Park,” Hotch replied, “He wouldn’t go to the same place twice. Morgan can handle himself.”

“We hope,” Rossi sighed, but followed Hotch’s lead.

The skate park had ramps galore and a particularly high wall on one side for doing tricks off of. That wall had a chalk scribble across it that Rossi and Hotch paused in front of.

“ _Nathan was at the cabin. The COP is innocent. Endgame time, Into The Woods.”_

“He’s gone to the woods where the bodies were dropped,” Hotch stated.

“No, wait!” Rossi called, “This is too direct for him. He means something else. Look at the words… ‘Into The Woods’ are all capitalized. It’s not the beginning of a sentence, so ‘Into’ doesn’t even need to be, and he wrote out the rest so why put Chief of Police as COP? And if Nathan _was_ at the cabin, than how is the Chief innocent?”

Hotch hit his phone up again, “Garcia, get me all places in the area that start with the letters ITW and all references for Into The Woods.”

“There are three restaurants with names that have the initials ITW, one gym, and a dance studio. Into The Woods is playing in the local theatre,” Garcia listed.

“A restaurant would have what he needed to go through a Heat,” Rossi mused, “But there are _three_ of them.”

“No way Reid is going near a gym or dance studio,” Hotch scoffed.

“So the theatre it is,” Rossi nodded.

“Sending the address to your GPS… now,” Garcia stated, “Give him a smack for me when you find him.”

“Will do,” Hotch growled angrily.

XXX

It was only a matter of time. Reid’s body was thrumming with desire and there was no holding it off. Morgan had gone to the trouble of laying down a trail for him while Reid followed his instincts. His conversations with the janitor and a few clerks over the last few days, all carefully done so as not to make them realize he suspected a person within the police station, had yielded enough information on the town to narrow down his suspect list. He _wanted_ to turn it into Hotch, but his instincts were fighting him. Hotch’s actions, while sanctioned, would likely lead to a face-off with the unsub that would result in the child dying. The unsub was just too dedicated to destruction.

Reid worked his way down to the basement of the cabin, the only part that remained standing. A crate with a latch on it held the frightened young child. He couldn’t unlatch it so he had to break it open. It took some work, but his knowledge of physics worked in his favour. He levered it open and the trembling young man pressed against him, leaning into the comfort of an Omega’s scent.

“It’s okay,” Reid soothed, “It’s okay. Let’s get you to safety.”

“Where?” he sobbed, “No one will ever believe me!”

“I do,” Reid replied, “Chief of police or not, she’ll pay for this.”

“It wasn’t Ms Bennett!” Nathan exclaimed, lifting his head and staring up at Reid, “It was…”

“Well, hello,” A deep voice purred.

Reid turned around in surprise, “Monroe?!”

“Obviously,” Monroe chuckled, “I can’t believe you were stupid enough to think it was the _Chief of Police_. Honestly, that’s just a bit much, don’t you think?”

“We profiled the unsub as an Alpha female!” Reid replied in alarm.

“So? You think your profiles are _perfect_? You were off my trail before you even walked in the door! You blindsided yourselves!”

“I know,” Reid nodded, “That’s why I did this. I knew the _real_ killer would go straight for the child to kill him, finishing the cycle before moving on to the real target. You weren’t afraid to kill innocent children to get your vengeance on me, so there was no reason you’d hesitate to kill BAU members. You didn’t _have_ to beat them to the prize if you planned on claiming me no matter who got to me first.”

“Precisely,” Monroe smirked, “So why don’t you let the little whelp go and we can finish what we started years ago? I’m gonna show you what a _real_ Alpha’s like!”

“He goes free. Safely. I won’t consent if you don’t let him go.”

“You think I care? Your little stink-fest from shouting your safeword didn’t bother me the first time around. It’s not going to bother me now. Scream and cry all you want. You’re _mine_.”

Reid’s eyes widened as he approached him, but at the same time voices could be heard from outside the cabin.

“Here!” Nathan shouted, “We’re in here! Help!”

Monroe pulled a gun and Reid barely pulled Nathan out of the way in time. The shouting was getting louder. People were looking for them and they weren’t far behind. Nathan and Reid were shouting for help while Monroe was doing his damndest to shoot either of them in the poorly lit basement. Reid kept moving, swerving on instinct until he was close enough to tackle Monroe. People swarmed into the basement and madness reigned. Nathan was being clutched by half a dozen Omegas. Alphas were grasping at Reid and trying to strip off his clothes to claim him while Betas fought _them_ to give Reid a chance to consent. By the time Reid managed to get free and to the safety of Beta bodyguards he glanced back to see Monroe had suffered the ultimate defeat. He’d been trampled to death by a herd of horny Alphas.

Reid climbed over people like a crowd surfer in an attempt to get free, finally managing to crawl out a broken window. His arms were cut, his cheek was bleeding into his mouth, and he was pushing a feral state. His clothes had been torn to pieces and his mobile was missing. He sniffed out the nearest Omega, borrowed their phone, and texted Morgan. _Thank goodness for an eidetic memory. Not reliant on speed dial, no sir._

**It’s Reid. Nathan is safe. Put this at skate park: Nathan was at the cabin. The COP is innocent. Endgame time: Into The Woods.**

Reid took off on foot, stole the first car he came across, wrecked it because he was a truly horrific driver, stole another, and made it to the theatre in time to feel the pad in his trousers over saturate. His Heat was kicking in. A cramping pain shot through his body and he staggered into the Omega bathroom in the theatre to relieve himself and clean up. He had no coins on him so he broke into the Omega Sanitary Items dispenser to get an enema kit and some more pads. He might as well be comfortable while he waited for someone to claim him.

“Please be Hotch. Please be Hotch,” Reid panted as he washed his hands and hobbled out to the main area, “Hell, even Rossi will do. Anyone I know, really. That cute boy from college PE… Wonder if he still lives here.”

He could barely stand. The pain rushing through his uterus as it clenched in preparation to drop an egg was immense. He ended up crawling the last few feet into the projection room where he curled up and whimpered in agony. He heard shouts from the theatre area but was in too much pain to respond. Instinct took over and Reid let out a needy keen. He could feel his body tenting, the muscles shifting to close the channel to his rectum and open the channel to his cervix. He was ready to be bred, his body having forced off the suppressants due to the sudden attention he’d received from Alphas, both Hotch’s sudden interest and Monroe’s unhealthy obsession.

The door to the projection room flew open and two Alphas entered. Reid’s mind was too far gone to register who they were. He was naked and erect, his body drenched with Omega slick and sweat. He rolled over with a needy cry and lifted his hips in offering. _Take me. Claim me. Mate me. Breed me. I’m yours._

XXX

Reid was beautiful. He was thin, yes, but undeniably gorgeous. His pale body was laid out on the floor, writhing in longing, and the second he caught their scent he went from whimpering to presenting. He rolled over, lifted his hips, and offered himself up for breeding.

Hotch turned to Rossi and breathed in deep, taking in the Heatscent that filled the room. Rossi did the same and they were on each other, biting and tearing with claws that slid free from recesses in their fingers _only_ at the bidding of an Omega. It was as deep as instinct could go, and not even family ties could stop the rage that went through them. They would dominate, maim, or even kill if it served their purpose.

Luckily for both of them, Rossi submitted. He lifted his neck and when Hotch’s teeth came down to his throat he laid still. Hotch panted against his throat for a moment, making sure the Alpha beneath him had truly surrendered. Then he stood and removed the last of his clothes with slow concentration. Rossi shifted up and scooted against the nearby wall. He was _pack_ now. Hotchner’s inner Alpha had accepted him when he’d allowed him to help locate Reid. He would allow him to remain and protect them while he mated with Reid since a Beta packmate wasn’t present. He might even allow Rossi to get off at some point so long as he didn’t try to mount his sweet little Omega.

Reid was still panting for attention so Hotch kneeled down beside him, leaning forward to breathe in his scent where Reid’s musk was sharpest. He ran his tongue around his tented pucker before pressing it into his hungry hole. Reid groaned and pressed back, wanting more from him. He’d give it to him, but he was going to have to find time to enjoy Reid later. For now needs came before wants.

Hotch collected some of Reid’s slick from his arse and thighs and slicked up his cock, going for as little friction as he could on his virgin Omega. Reid moaned softly, pushing back as Hotch slowly slid into his hot, clenching depths. Reid was tight, his body suckling him in faster than he knew he should push inside of such a soft figure. He held himself back, biting his lip. When he opened his eyes he saw Rossi by Reid’s face, pressing kisses to his forehead and whispering to him gently. His lips came away wet with Reid’s tears.

“It’s okay,” Hotch panted, trying to rein in the urge to pound into him. Reid was strong emotionally and mentally, but physically he was just a young, frightened, virginal Omega, “Shhh, Spence. It’s okay. It will stop hurting soon.”

_And then hurt again later when I knot you._

 


	8. Chapter 8

Reid stood in the ready room, rocking his baby in his arms as JJ had once done with Henry.

“Hey there, Haley,” Reid cooed to her, “This is where Daddy and Papa work. You’ll be going to a daycare in a week, but for now you’re all mine and I get to enjoy you for a bit longer. When you’re at daycare I’ll be here helping your Daddy save the world. Did you know he’s a super hero? Your big brother does. He…”

Reid looked up as Prentiss snickered from the doorway. He hadn’t heard them come in.

“Hey guys, come and meet the newest family member,” Reid smiled.

Omegas were very secretive and clingy with their babies for the first year, only letting Betas and post-estrupausal Omegas hold them, but Reid thought maybe he could let Rossi _look_ at little Haley. They all crowded close, cooing and smiling at his beautiful daughter. He was able to walk now, cleared for duty and happy to be off both bedrest and out of physical therapy for a few months now. His pregnancy hadn’t been easy, but they were happy with the results.

“Where’s Derek?” JJ asked, not referring to Morgan but to the second baby their little test-tube situation had created.

“Hotch has him in his office. He wanted to get his smell everywhere, he already had Haley in there,” Reid replied.

“That’s so cute!” JJ smiled, “He’s so happy to be a dad again.”

“I never pictured myself as a parent, but this is pretty awesome,” Reid grinned, “Did you know that babies can have as many as eight to ten bowel movements a day and urinate up to six?”

“That’s… fascinating,” Prentiss stated, her face wrinkled in disgust.

“And not only that,” Reid grinned eagerly, “Pricilla Dunstan, an Australian mother who claims to have a photographic memory of sound, theorized that all newborns from age zero to three months have the same five cries that they used to communicate specific needs to us. After a study on one thousand babies it appears to be true. I’ve categorized all five from Haley but only three from Derek. I think it’s because he’s a boy, they’re typically less communicative as young children than girls are.”

“There’s really a difference?” JJ asked with a frown.

“Oh, definitely, though it does vary from child to child anyway. There will always be a minority of girls who perform like boys or boys who perform like girls, though I haven’t found a study that related that to being transgender or simply regular deviation from the mode. That being said, in "Boys and Girls Learn Differently", author Michael Gurian explains that preschool-aged girls are stronger in verbal and communication skills. Boys enjoy taking up more space in a room or playground with large groups of their peers, and engage in activities involving action and running, whereas girls prefer to hang with a small group in a small space. Because boys enjoy being active, their gross-motor skills are often better developed than girls during the preschool years. Girls -- who are able to sit and focus for longer periods of time -- have stronger fine motor skills and are better able to manipulate small objects such as a pencil or scissors.”

“Reid,” Hotch’s voice called.

“Right, sorry,” Reid grinned, “It’s just so fascinating.”

“He’s read every baby book ever written, then he started a blog explaining why some of them should be banned despite his stance on not banning books,” Hotch stated as he walked in and slipped Derek into Morgan’s hands, “Then he wrote to a few of the authors and offered to help them with their next books. I wrote to Strauss and begged her to let him back to work even if it was just on a consulting basis.”

The group chuckled and for a moment they passed the babies around with Rossi staying well out of the way. Only when Reid let him approach them- only while _Hotch_ was holding them- did he get any closer, and even then he respectfully didn’t touch them.

“They’re gorgeous,” Rossi praised, “And you guys look as exhausted and miserable as good parents always do.”

“I haven’t slept in fifteen point three hours,” Reid stated plainly.

“I haven’t slept in fifteen point three _months_ ,” Hotch announced.

“You were asleep eight hours ag- oh, that was sarcasm. Sorry,” Reid shook his head in amusement, “If they develop normally their adolescence is bound to be a second highschool torment session for me.”

“I doubt they’ll beat you up,” Hotch chuckled, “Call you names and steal your lunch money, yes, but never beat you up.”

“Yeah,” Reid winked, “That’s _your_ job.”

Hotch returned his wink and pressed a kiss to his temple before turning to the group and detailing when Reid would be returning to work and at what capacity. They left with the twins in their stroller and bags of presents from their loving co-workers.

 _Pack,_ Hotch corrected himself mentally as he smiled out the slowly closing elevator doors, _I have a pack now as well as a family._

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Mate.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3756649) by [Milli_Boo900](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Milli_Boo900/pseuds/Milli_Boo900)




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